A gentleman and his mistress
by Lovely Vero
Summary: A new Elijah-Katherine story related to my two D&E - S&C previous ones. Elijah has a proposition for Katherine. Either she say yes to becoming his new maid and more, or she will die! "M" rated with a bit of humor. ENJOY !
1. We meet again

**A ****GENTLEMAN ****AND ****HIS ****MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**Lovely Vero**

**Writer's ****note: **OMFG, to take a well known expression of Elijah! This will be my third crossover fan fiction story! Following my DELENA one: "**Too ****much ****noise ****in ****the ****bedroom"**, and my STAROLINE one: "**An ****unexpected ****love ****affair"**. Completely in synchronization in time with my other two fan fiction stories.

I prepare something, that will help my new readers who did not follow my two other stories, to understand the historic behind it with small recaps sentences, and two prefaces (previous scenes) coming from both of my two other fan fictions. This first chapter is a short introduction of their (Katherine & Elijah) undeniable physical attraction for each other, and their stubbornness! So happy to have started this story, you have no idea!

* * *

><p><strong>RECAPS<strong>

The crossover started in my first DELENA fan fiction after the 2010 Holiday hiatus.

Elijah promised Elena to protect his family and friends like in TVD.

Elijah had to follow Elena and Damon in New York, at a Salsa Club owned by Klaus.

Elijah had to save Caroline and Stefan, after Klaus had kidnapped both of them.

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><p><strong>SHORT PREFACE 1<strong>

**SCENE BETWEEN ELIJAH AND DAMON IN NEW YORK**

* * *

><p>Alli entered the Club's office room with Damon following her closely; she turned around to look at Damon and invited him to pass arch door with a hand gesture. Damon entered the room to see Elijah standing in front of an interior tainted window with a view on the dance floor, turning his head at their arrival.<p>

"**Thank ****you ****Alli!"** Elijah said to her. She nodded her head, before leaving the office.

"**Please, ****take ****a ****seat"** Elijah said smiling to Damon.

Damon kept his standing position in front of him, with an intense serious gaze in his eyes.

"**As ****you ****wish!****"** Elijah continued sitting on top on the desktop**.****"So, ****Damon ****Salvatore****… ****It ****was ****about ****time ****that ****we ****introduce ****ourselves ****formally, ****don't ****you****t think?"** He asked.

"**Get ****to ****the ****point ****Grandpa!"** Damon replied to him.

"**Ah ****Damon****…****..You ****know, ****I ****always ****enjoy ****a ****good ****sense ****of ****humour****…****So ****damn ****important ****to ****have ****it ****in ****life, ****more ****so ****if ****you're ****a ****vampire!"** Elijah replied to him before getting up from his sitting position, walking towards an open bar, and pouring a glass of alcohol.

"**You ****want ****one?"** Elijah asked, showing an empty glass to Damon. **"You ****like ****bourbon, ****don't ****you?"** Elijah continued making a point of knowing every detail of Damon's life.

Damon did not budge.

"**My ****bad ****then****…****"** Elijah started.

"**Now****…****I ****made ****a ****pact ****with ****the ****lovely ****Elena ****to ****protect ****the ****members ****of ****her ****family ****and ****friends, ****including ****you ****and ****your ****brother, ****and ****I ****always ****keep ****my ****promise. ****In ****exchange, ****as ****you ****surely ****already ****know, ****she ****will ****stay ****safe ****in ****Mystic ****Falls, ****living ****a ****normal ****life, ****and ****not ****putting ****herself ****in any kind of ****danger; ****but****…****she ****was ****not ****safe ****tonight, ****was ****she?"** He then took a sip of his glass before continuing.

**"With ****your ****brother ****away ****from ****Mystic ****Falls ****with Miss ****Caroline ****Forbes, ****on ****what ****I ****believe ****to ****be ****a ****rescue ****mission ****to ****Richmond ****to ****free Mr. ****Tyler ****Lockwood ****of ****a ****werewolf woman ****named ****Jules, ****and ****of ****course ****yourself ****who ****was ****not ****able ****to ****stop ****Elena ****on ****her ****mission ****to ****come ****here, ****I ****unfortunately ****don't ****feel ****the ****need ****to ****keep ****you ****both ****alive ****anymore."** Elijah finished smiling and looking at Damon in the eyes.

"**I'm ****dead ****already; ****maybe ****you ****did ****not ****get ****the ****memo?"** Damon replied sarcastically to him.

"**It's ****a ****figure ****of ****speech."** Elijah replied to him.

"**So****…****Damon, ****as ****a ****goodness ****of ****my ****heart ****and ****my ****friendship ****for ****Elena****…****I'll ****give ****you ****another ****chance ****to ****prove ****yourself ****to ****me.****She ****was ****very ****lucky ****tonight, ****Klaus ****had ****left ****the ****club's ****premises, ****but ****next ****time ****it ****could ****end ****badly ****for ****her."** Elijah explained to him. **"So, ****I ****suggest ****that ****you ****keep ****her ****close, ****and ****watch ****her ****every ****move"** He added, before continuing. **"You ****can ****go ****now, ****enjoy ****your ****night ****at ****the ****club ****with ****Elena!"** Elijah finished with a smile and a nodding of his head.

Damon directed his walk towards the exit, showing only his back to Elijah, before stopping in his tracks inches from the door.

"**Oh ****by ****the ****way, ****Grandpa****…****."** Damon started, his hand on the door handle, before continuing. **"****…****I ****don't ****know ****how, ****where ****or ****when, ****but ****I ****will ****kill ****you. ****As ****a ****figure ****of ****speech ****of ****course****…****"** He then turned his head to look at him straight in the eyes**.****"****…****And ****I ****always ****keep ****my ****promise also!"** He finished while opening the door and closing it behind him.

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><p><strong>SHORT PREFACE 2 <strong>

** SCENE BETWEEN ELIJAH, CAROLINE AND STEFAN IN RICHMOND AT KLAUS'S MANOR.**

* * *

><p>They heard a loud noise, before seeing the door open; Stefan brought Caroline behind him, to protect her, no way in hell they would be separated one more time!<p>

They looked with astonishment on their face at Gretta's body being thrown on the dining room floor, before watching a man passing the arch door and bending his up front body to reach her own lying body that was still on the floor, she tried to escape him one more time, but he was faster and he snapped her neck in an instant, leaving her death the second after!

The man got up, and started to sweep away dust on his black stylish blazer.

"**So ****sorry ****for ****the ****intrusion****…****."** He said to Caroline and Stefan. **"****…****There ****is ****so ****much ****dust ****in ****this ****manor ****it's ****unbelievable!"**He added, before noticing the blood on the table and on the floor. **"You ****had ****a ****little ****incident ****with ****Klaus ****I ****can ****see?"**

"**Elijah!"** Stefan said in disbelieve.

Elijah nodded his head as a greeting for both of them.

"**Could ****you ****explain?"** Stefan asked him.

"**Well****…****I ****truthfully ****doubted ****that ****you ****two ****were ****really ****death ****actually!"** He replied to Stefan while smiling at him.

"**What ****are ****you ****doing ****in ****Richmond?"** Stefan asked him.

Elijah took a few steps toward their standing position while putting both of his hands, in his blazer's pockets.

"**I ****actually ****was ****in ****New ****York ****before****…****"** He started. **"****…****Elena ****and ****your ****brother ****had ****decided ****to ****pay ****a ****visit ****to ****Klaus, ****believing ****that ****he ****might ****be ****in ****a ****dancing ****Club ****that ****he ****owns ****in ****the ****city****…****.So ****I ****had ****to ****take ****action ****and ****find ****them****…****"**Elijah continued explaining.**"****…****At ****the ****same ****time, ****you ****were ****in ****Richmond ****to ****find ****the ****young ****Lockwood, ****and ****you ****were ****gathering ****information ****into ****the ****city."**

Stefan looked at Caroline, while nodding his head in disbelief.

"**Following ****the ****little**** "****rendez-vous****" ****of ****your ****brother ****and ****Elena ****in ****New****York, ****I ****was ****ordered ****to ****present ****myself ****here, ****and ****I ****received ****the ****information ****that ****you ****died ****inside ****of ****an ****old ****flour ****factory, ****very ****original ****if ****I ****may ****add****…****cause ****of ****the ****deaths: ****an ****unexplained ****fire. ****Check ****the ****information, ****was ****able ****to ****find ****out ****that ****you ****had ****escape ****the ****burning ****blaze ****that ****had ****been ****set ****by ****Jules ****and ****her ****men****…****.Put ****two ****and ****two ****together****…****And ****here ****I ****am!"** He finished with a debonair smile on his face.

"**Like ****that****…****Nothing ****more?****"** Stefan asked him, adding. **"Why?"**

"**I ****gave ****my ****word ****to ****Elena ****that ****I ****would ****keep ****her ****family ****and ****friends ****alive. ****I ****am ****a ****man ****of ****my ****words ****Mr.****Salvatore."** Elijah replied to him. **"Now...we ****lost ****enough ****time, ****here ****are ****the ****keys ****of ****your ****truck****…****"**Elijah said to Stefan while putting the keys in Stefan's hand. "…**Take ****it****…****.All ****your ****personal ****belongings ****are ****in ****the ****cars****…****I ****suggest ****that ****you ****change ****before ****reaching ****Richmond ****city ****though****…****I ****doubt ****that ****it ****is ****the ****time ****for ****the ****Circus ****to ****be ****in ****town..."** Elijah added with his impeccable English humour while smiling sarcastically at the sight of their 1864 clothes**.****"****…****I ****took ****the ****initiative ****to ****book ****two ****bedrooms ****at ****a ****hotel ****for ****you ****to ****pass ****the ****night****…****you'll ****find ****the ****address ****in ****the ****car ****also."**

"**Stefan!"** Caroline interrupted. "**I****'m ****not ****leaving ****without ****Tyler!"**

Stefan winced hard at her mention, for an unexplained reason he just felted a hint of jealousy inside of him at the mention of Tyler's name.

"**Mr.****Tyler ****Lockwood ****is ****already ****waiting ****for ****you ****at ****the ****hotel."** Elijah added to a speechless but happy Caroline.

"**I ****will ****drop ****you ****at ****the ****hotel..."** Stefan said to Caroline. **"...But, ****I ****have ****to ****find ****Damon ****and ****Elena."**

"**I ****suggest ****that ****you ****refrain ****yourself ****of ****that ****action."** Elijah replied to him.

"**It's ****my ****brother ****and**** …****..It's ****Elena!"**Stefan started, adding. "**I ****won't ****refrain ****from ****finding ****them!"**

"**I ****know ****their ****present ****location****…****I ****already ****took ****action ****into ****finding ****them."** Elijah explained. **"I'll ****go, ****and ****I'll ****protect ****them! ****We ****both ****know ****that ****you ****won't ****be ****able ****to ****go ****against ****Klaus! ****Let ****me ****do ****it!"**

Stefan took a few steps back and forth, sliding his right hand on his face to calm himself down; he knew that Elijah was right! It would be difficult for him to battle this evil Original alone, and with no time in front of him, Elijah had the strength, the time, and the information in his reach to go against Klaus.

Stefan nodded his head in approval.

"**Now ****go!"** Elijah said whit a hand gesture to advice them to leave the manor.

Stefan took Caroline's hand in his, before directing his steps to leave the dining room, Caroline made him stop by holding his left arm.

"**What ****about ****Katherine?"** She asked him.

"**Katerina?"** Elijah asked surprised, adding. "**What ****about ****her?"**

Stefan turned and looked at Caroline in the eyes.

"**She ****turned ****you, ****Caroline!"**

"**I ****know****…****"** Caroline started, adding. **"****…****But, ****I ****wouldn't ****wish ****Klaus ****on ****my ****worst ****enemy!"** She explained, before turning to look at Elijah in the eyes. **"She's ****in ****one ****of ****the ****Dungeon ****cell!"**

"**In ****here?"** Elijah asked surprised.

Caroline nodded her head in approval.

"**It ****would ****have ****been ****a ****too ****easy ****place ****for ****Klaus ****to ****hide ****her ****in ****here. ****Thinking ****about ****it ****now, ****it ****was ****the ****perfect ****place ****that ****I ****wouldn't ****have ****thought ****of****…****"** He said, adding. **"****…****Now ****go, ****I**** will ****take ****care ****of her****!"**

He looked at Stefan's and Caroline's departure, before passing a nervous hand in his hair.

He would take care of her how? By leaving her in the cell's dungeon to die or taking her with him? That was the real question.

* * *

><p><strong>- CHAPTER 1 -<strong>

"**WE ****MEET ****AGAIN"**

* * *

><p>Katherine raised her head at the sound of a door being suddenly open. She stood up very slowly in a standing position, holding herself with both hands on the cell wall. She was weak, tired and hadn't fed for days! She took a few steps backward, to reach the farthest back corner of the small habitable, standing in the dark with only the sound of footsteps to fill the emptiness of the Dungeon.<p>

It could only mean that Klaus had come for her! It was her time…Did Klaus kill Stefan? Probably so…Or did he have a darker plan in mind for him? Even if he had already explained to her that she would be suffering for centuries to repay, her running and bad behaviour, from and to him, she knew that Klaus could easily snap back to his insanity in an instant and kill her the next!

The footsteps were approaching now; she closed her eyes in a last prayer to God. When was the last time that she had prayed exactly? In her memory, it must have been after witnessing the awful carnage deaths of her entire family.

The footsteps stopped! She kept quiet, her eyes closed.

"**Good ****evening, ****Katerina."**

She almost jumped out of her skin! Only one person on earth would roll the "R" while pronouncing her name that way! She opened her eyes in an instant, only to see her greatest fear coming to live, in a standing position, behind the bars of her cell.

"**Elijah!"**She whispered to him, scare and angry at the same time.

"**I ****see**** that ****you're ****still ****frightened ****at ****the ****sight ****of ****me****…****"**Elijah replied to her sarcastically. **"****…****You ****finally ****understood ****that ****you ****should ****always ****be!"**

"**You ****left ****me ****in ****the ****tomb ****for ****Klaus ****to ****find ****me!"**She angrily answered to him.

"**Did ****I?"** He answered while leaning his back on the wall behind him. **"You ****don't ****seem ****well?"**He added, crossing his arms in front of his chest in a casual way.

"**Go ****to ****hell!**" She angrily mumbled to him, before letting her body slide on the wall, dropping herself on the floor the next second, not able to stand on her two legs anymore. It would not be long now that she would lose all the motions in her body!

"**You ****are ****getting ****weaker ****and ****weaker, ****as ****I ****can ****see, ****Katerina."**He added to her, with a devious smile on his lips.

He suddenly took a few steps to his left. She nervously wondered where he had disappeared, not being able to see him anymore.

"**Elijah?"** She asked him, with the mix feeling of wanted him far away from her, and at the same time the need of knowing that someone was at her side.

He came back with a chair in his hand, dropped it in front of her cell before taking place in a sitting position on it. He then stared at her lying position on her cell floor.

"**Are ****you ****going ****to ****stay ****there ****and ****look ****at ****me ****all ****night?"** Katherine asked him, with a angry tone in her voice.

He did not answered right away…he wanted to make her anticipate his next move, controlling brilliantly her nervousness.

"**If ****you ****want ****to ****kill ****me, ****Elijah...Just ****do ****it ****already!"** Katherine screamed at him.

"**I ****have ****a ****proposition ****for ****you, ****Katerina."**Elijah said to her, leaning his body forward, pressing his left forearm on his knee.

"**You ****can ****keep ****your ****proposition ****to ****yourself!"** Katherine lashed out at him.

"**In ****that ****case****…****"** He started standing up from his sitting position, pushing his chair away from him, and adding. "…**How ****many ****days ****without ****blood ****now? ****It ****should ****not ****be ****long ****for ****you ****to ****mummify****…****You ****shouldn't ****feel ****any ****pain ****when ****that ****process ****will ****start...****Farewell, ****Katerina!"**He added before slowly directing his walking steps toward the front door of the dungeon, at the end of the long corridor.

"**Wait!"** He heard her whispered to him, he stopped his walking track, smiled, and turned around to walk back in front of her dungeon cell.

"**Yes, ****Katerina?"** He asked her.

"**What ****kind ****of ****a ****proposition?"**She then asked him, crawling on her cell floor toward the cell bars, her body getting out of the darkest corner of her cell.

At her sight, Elijah was hit with remorse! She looked awful…Way more awful that the day he had compelled her to stay in the tomb…He hair were dry and lifeless, her face was as white as a sheet, her eyes were empty of any emotion…the way she was crawling on her cell floor was a given of her soon to be mummification. Elijah turned his head to his right, to hide his real feelings from her.

This could not happen to him again! He thought in his head…_Katerina__Petrova_ would not play with his heart a second time…The only reason that he was here was to prove a point to his brother! To take her away from his home, during his absence!

"**Tell ****me****…****"** She asked him again, awaiting for an answer from his part.

He turned back his sight at her, while showing a perfect face with no expression, before taking his sitting position back on the chair.

"**I ****have ****different ****homes ****and ****penthouse ****in ****North ****America****…****but, ****I ****recently ****purchased ****a ****Manor ****in ****England, ****the ****country ****side ****of ****Chester ****City ****to ****be ****more ****exact...I ****am ****in ****need ****of ****help!"**Elijah explained to her with a devious smile on his face.

Katherine raised her head to look at him with astonishment, what in hell was he talking about?

"**What ****kind ****of ****help?"** Katherine asked mostly afraid of hearing his answer.

"**Well****…****"** Elijah started while nodding his head and doing his very best to not burst into laughter. This would soon be very entertaining for him! **"****…****I ****need ****a ****couple ****of ****extra ****housekeepers ****to ****take ****care ****of ****the ****house."**

Was he purposely making fun of her before her last living-death moments as a vampire?

"**You ****are ****despicable, ****Elijah!"**She answered him back before spitting on the floor in front of him, only to be hit a second later with an unstoppable cough.

"**You're ****not ****getting ****better, ****Katerina****…****"** He firstly said to her, with a sarcastic tone of voice, adding**.****"****…****but ****if ****you ****prefer ****to ****die, ****my ****brother ****should ****be ****home ****in ****a ****day ****or ****two!"** he continued, before finishing with a last sentence. **"****…****And ****don't ****think ****that ****somebody ****will ****check ****on ****you****…****I ****pretty ****much ****killed ****the ****majority ****of ****his ****guards****…****and ****his ****witch, ****Gretta ****was ****her ****name ****wasn't ****it?...She's unfortunately ****dead! ****I**** spared ****his ****warlock ****though****…****he ****seems ****to ****have ****disappeared ****with ****my ****beloved ****brother!"**

She wiped her mouth with her hand before adding.

"**Where ****did ****he ****go? ****Did ****he ****kill****…****"** She started in a whisper to him, without being able to pronounce the name.

"**The ****youngest ****Salvatore****…****"**Elijah asked her, continuing.**"****…****That ****is ****your ****question, ****isn't ****it, ****Katerina?"**

"**I'm ****bored****…****And ****mummifying ****at ****the ****present ****moment, ****don't ****you ****remember****…****I ****want ****to ****pass ****the ****time****…****and ****I'm ****just ****curious.**" she answered him, while shrugging her shoulders.

She was a fighter! That's for sure! But he knew also that it was not the only reason…which made him upset for some sort of a reason.

"**He's ****alive ****and ****on ****his ****way ****back ****to ****Mystic ****Falls ****with ****his ****lady ****friend."** He answered her.

"**What ****is ****there ****for ****you ****to ****safe ****the ****day, ****Elijah?"** Katherine asked him.

"**Let ****just ****say, ****that ****I ****have ****my ****reasons."** He answered to her, adding**.****"Now****…****I ****have ****urgent ****matters ****that ****I need ****to ****take ****care****…****Can ****we ****finalize ****the ****conditions ****of ****our ****deal****…****"** He added to her, with a sarcastic smile on his lips. **"****…****I ****won't ****go ****back ****twice ****on ****it, ****Katerina!"**

"**You ****have ****your ****five ****minutes ****of ****fun ****at ****my ****expense, ****Elijah!"**Katherine answered him, more angrier than ever.

"**Considering ****that ****you ****had ****several ****centuries ****on ****mine, ****don't ****you ****think ****it's ****a ****fare ****exchange?"**He asked her.

She lowered her head at his saying.

"**So, ****I ****would ****need ****to ****do ****what ****exactly?"**She asked him.

"**My ****first ****chief ****butler ****is ****getting ****old****…****he ****needs ****help ****to ****take ****care ****of ****the ****Manor****…****.Considering ****that ****Klaus ****has ****no ****real ****use ****for ****you ****these ****days****…****and ****that ****you'll ****be ****death ****soon ****one ****way ****or ****the ****other****…****It ****would ****be ****to ****your ****best ****interest ****to ****gracefully ****thank ****me, ****and ****accept ****my ****proposition."**He explained to her, adding. **"****…****This ****is ****my ****way t****o ****steal ****you ****from ****my beloved ****brother's ****hands****…****and ****forcefully ****keeping ****you ****away ****from ****the ****Salvatore's****…****while ****at ****the ****same ****time ****having ****a ****new ****housekeeper ****that ****will ****take ****care ****of ****me ****for ****the ****eternity, ****if ****you ****behave ****and ****I ****don't ****decide ****one ****day ****to ****kill ****you ****myself, ****of ****course!"**

"**You ****are ****enjoying ****this, ****don't ****you, ****Elijah?"**Katherine asked him.

Elijah smiled back at her. No words were necessary, she knew!

"**He's ****human?"**She asked surprised, and completely unbalanced by the way he was keeping his crazy game going.

"**Charles? ****My ****butler****…Y****es, ****he ****is!"**Elijah answered to her. **"But ****don't ****you ****have ****ideas, ****Katerina****…****He's ****human, yes****…****but ****also ****a ****powerful ****warlock!"**

Katherine was now thinking that this plan was her best option! She would get out of Klaus's dungeon, play Elijah's game for a while, and then escape away from him!

She raised herself up on her knees, before standing on her two feet, keeping her balance with one of her hand on the wall.

"**OK!"** She answered him, adding. **"Now, ****please****…****Let ****me ****out ****of ****here, ****Elijah!"**

"**There's ****another ****condition ****to ****my ****proposal, ****Katerina!"** He continued explaining to her, with a devious smile on his face.

"**I knew it**!" She would not get out of this nightmare as easy as she firstly thought!

"**What ****else ****would ****you ****want ****from ****me? ****I ****have ****nothing ****else ****to ****give ****you, ****Elijah****…****You ****pretty ****much ****took ****the ****rest ****of ****my ****proud ****just ****now?"**Katherine screamed at him.

Elijah approached the cell bars while locking his eyes with hers.

"**Men ****have ****needs ****Katerina!"** He answered her, adding. **"****…****In ****the ****future ****it ****is ****possible ****that ****I ****ask ****you ****to ****fulfil ****these ****needs!"**

Katerina took a few steps to reach his standing position, while facing him behind the cell's bar.

"**NE-VER****…****"** She articulated every syllable as an answer to him. **"I'll ****do ****the ****house ****cleaning ****job, ****I'll ****wash ****your ****dishes, ****clean ****your ****floor, ****even ****wash ****your ****damn ****underwear****…****but ****I ****will ****never ****sleep ****with ****you!"**

Elijah smiled at her. He was holding her life in the palm of his hand!

"**But ****you ****see, ****Katerina****…****"** He started. **"****…****.You ****won't ****have ****the ****eternity ****in ****front ****of ****you ****to ****have ****the ****privilege ****to ****say ****never ****to ****me****…****I'll ****say ****that ****at ****the ****latest ****tomorrow, ****you'll ****be ****too ****far ****gone ****already****…****This ****only, ****if ****you ****are ****not ****accepting ****my ****proposition."**

"Devil man" She though. He knew that she did not have any cards in her hands presently to beat him at his own game!

"**Why ****me? ****You ****could ****have ****thousands ****of ****other ****women! ****You ****despise ****me, ****Elijah!"**Katherine answered to him.

"**But, ****my ****dear****…****I ****already ****can ****have ****all ****the ****women ****that ****I ****want****…****And ****I'm ****actually ****in ****a ****relationship at the present moment****…****"** He firstly said to her, making her raise one of her eyebrow. **"But ****sometimes ****I'm ****bored ****like ****you ****are, ****Katerina****… ****I ****only ****want ****variety ****in ****my ****bed****…****that ****is ****the ****down ****side ****of ****being ****eternal, would you say?****…****and ****what ****better ****way ****than ****having ****you ****has ****my ****mistress****…****to ****annoy ****my ****brother ****and ****to ****put ****a ****little ****bit ****of ****challenge ****in ****my ****love ****life****…****But ****for ****the ****time ****being ****you ****are ****very ****lucky****…****I ****wouldn't ****be ****touching ****you ****if ****my ****life ****would ****depend ****on ****it! ****But, ****I ****could ****change ****my ****mind****…****If ****I ****do****…****You'll ****oblige ****to ****my ****demand."**He explained to her, adding. **"****…****I'm ****surprised ****that ****this ****is ****bothering ****you ****so ****much, ****Katerina****…****for ****what ****I ****heard ****these ****last ****centuries ****you ****were ****not ****shy ****of ****your ****sexual ****prowess?"**

Oh! She hated him with every inch of her body, and the small part of soul she had still in her! …He knew how to make her feel less than nothing simply by giving her one look, or a well said sentence. ..She always hated that about him!

"**Open ****the ****cell ****door, ****Elijah****…****"** She begged him to do, while locking her eyes with his, and nodding her head in approval of his demands. **"..I'll ****go ****with ****you ****and ****be ****whatever ****you ****want ****me ****to ****be!"**

Elijah put his hand in the right front pocket of his blazer, before removing the cell door key.

He opened the door and showed her with a hand gesture that she was free to get out of her prison. She took a few unbalanced steps before reaching the dungeon corridor.

"**One ****last ****thing, ****Katerina****…****Do ****not ****forget ****that ****I'm ****your ****master ****now..."**Elijah started. **"****…****If ****for ****whatever ****reason ****you ****decide ****to ****turn ****on ****me ****or ****escape****…****I ****will ****make ****you ****pay ****in ****a ****worst ****possible ****way ****by ****compelling ****you ****to ****become ****my ****slave ****and ****not ****have ****your ****free ****will ****anymore, ****plus, ****I ****will ****make ****you ****forget ****all ****your ****previous ****memories****…****including, ****the ****one ****that ****you ****still ****have ****about ****your ****family****…****Am ****I ****clear?"**

Katherine nodded her head in approval to him, before holding herself with her hands on the wall, while taking unbalanced steps toward the dungeon's exit.

"**You ****have ****to ****feed ****me, ****Elijah!"** She asked him.

"**I ****will****…****"** He answered to her, standing at a near inch of her back.

"**No****…****I ****mean ****now****…****"** She whispered to him before collapsing on the floor.

"**Katerina****…****"** He screamed to her, before kneeling at her side on the floor, brushing her hair away from her face, while caressing one of her cheek. He then very quickly put one of his arms under her knees and back, to raise her in his arms and a minute later directing his walk to the exit.

"**You'll ****be ****fine****…****"** He murmured in her ear, adding. **"****…****I'll ****take ****care ****of ****you!"**

* * *

><p>Katherine smelled the sweet red nectar, she was feeling the anticipation of the first gulp in her mouth…She could not resist anymore, she started to drink abundantly.<p>

"**Go ****easy, ****Katerina!"**

She heard a voice warning her. But not any voice! A voice that could only belong to one person…Elijah! She suddenly opened her eyes and saw him leaning above her, while holding a blood bag near her lips.

"**What ****happened?"** She asked him.

"**You ****fainted****…****"** He started answering her, adding. **"****…****The ****depravation ****got ****the ****better ****of ****you. ****How ****do ****you ****feel?"**

"**Better****…****"** She responded.

"**Good!"** He said while nodding his head to her and putting in her hands the blood bag he was holding in his for her.

"**Where ****are ****we?"** She asked him, while looking at her surroundings.

"**In ****a ****limo."** He answered simply to her.

"**Where ****are ****we ****going?"** She then asked again.

Elijah smiled at her nervousness; Katherine hated being kept in the dark! She need it most of anything, to have the control on everything…But this time, it's him who had the control over her!

"**At ****the ****airport****…****"** He answered her.

"**Where ****are ****we ****going?"** She asked him, while raising her body in a straighter position.

"**We****…****"** He repeated, while looking at her with a sarcastic debonair smile on his lips, continuing**.****"****…****We ****are ****not ****going ****any where ****Katerina, ****you ****on ****the ****other ****hand ****are ****leaving ****for ****the ****UK ****in ****a ****hour."**

"**Alone?"** She exclaimed herself with a smile on her face.

"**No****…****With ****guards****…****"** Elijah responded to her, adding. **"****…****Vampires ****guards!"**

She lost her smile in an instant.

"**You ****are ****not ****coming ****with ****me?"** She then added as a question one more time.

"**I ****have ****unfinished ****business ****that ****I ****have ****to ****take ****care, ****Katerina."** He responded while opening his limousine side door. **"Take ****time ****to ****feed ****yourself****…****There ****is ****a ****small ****luggage ****in ****front ****of ****you ****with ****clothes, ****and ****a ****toiletry ****bag."** He explained to her, putting one of his feet outside the car, holding his motion a second later, before coming back inside, leaning toward her sitting position, taking her chin in his right hand, while approaching his lips to put them on top of her mouth. He could feel her lips trembled, without being completely sure if it was fear or desire. He started murmuring a second later to her:

"**Don't ****try ****to ****escape, y****ou ****would ****regret it...Till ****we ****meet ****again, ****Katerina!"**

He then detached his lips from hers and got out of the limousine, while closing the door behind him.

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><p><em>Next chapter:<strong>"AT <strong>**YOUR ****MERCY."**_

_Be very patient with my update, I have three crossover stories now and I need to go in chorological order. I thank you in advance._

_Thank you also to my readers who are following my three crossover stories…I know there are some of you._

_For the new readers, I hope you enjoyed this first introduction chapter?_

_**IT'S ALWAYS A JOY TO READ YOUR REVIEWS.**_


	2. At your mercy

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

Member: Vampdelenea

**Writer's note (13/06/2012): **Since the new policy of the site, I tone down the romantic scenes for the new M rated rating asked by the administration. Just letting you know! (to all the readers who would re-read my story)

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><p><strong>SMALL PREFACE<strong>

**(From my Delena FF – Chapter 12 – A day in your arms – part 2)**

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><p>Elijah entered the abandoned 19th century's house, finding his way into corridors, finally reaching an open room by two French doors, before seeing his brother, standing alone in the room.<p>

"**Ah Elijah…my beloved brother…"**Klaus started with a sarcastic smile on his face, his right arm standing on the fire place mantel. He changed from his previous clown costume, to a jeans, black t-shirt, and leather jacket.**"…Come! Enter…I was waiting for you."**He said to him.

"**Where is the elderly vampire woman... and where is the older Salvatore brother?"**Elijah asked him.

"**Dead and the second is indispose at the moment I'm sorry to say…"**He replied to him while bursting into loud laughter, continuing.**"…You know, for the life of me, I don't understand why you are taking so much interest in the Salvatore's? Though, the younger one, could be of help to me…You knew he was a ripper, back in the days…Of course you knew, my bad."**Klaus said while mocking him.

"**This theatrical show, that you are putting together Klaus…was it really necessary?"**Elijah asked him.

"**Well…"**Klaus started.**"I'm kind of bored…down side of living for the eternity, and the sacrifice is only scheduled in a couple of years…I had to pass the time…"**He started, adding.**"…Though, I still don't understand why you would help the Salvatore's, did you already forget that they took our beloved Katherine away from us…back in the days…Well, I should say away from you…Isn't it true brother…With the poppy love crush that you had on her…"**He asked him, while continuing.**"…Though…I heard that now, it is you who took her away from me! You left a mess at my Richmond manor….You saved Salvatore and his lady friend; you also took Katherine from the dungeon, where exactly did you bring her Brother?"**

"**Who said I bring her somewhere?"**Elijah answered him, while standing still in front of his brother, his hands in his trousers front pockets. Klaus left his position near the fireplace, before walking to reach his brother, stopping in front of him with a diabolic and mad expression on his face, putting one of his hands on his right shoulders, lowering his head before murmuring in his right ear.

"**I'll find her! And I did not appreciate that you killed my witch by the way…She was very valuable to me!"**

Elijah raised his sight to look at him in the eyes, with a sarcastic smile on his face.

"**I'm sure you'll find another bitchy witch soon enough to fulfil your demoniac needs."**Elijah answered to him with a big smile on his face.

Klaus backed away from his brother, while bursting into laughter.

"**I like this new Elijah...surer of himself…"** He busted in laughter, adding. "…**You'll find Salvatore in an upstairs bedroom…My warlock will explain what he did to him…I'm very proud of my helping "wouchy wouchy" warlocks staff actually…Him in particular…I didn't know that it was even possible to do this kind of spell on a vampire! But…Don't worry brother…That spell is not working on Originals…or I would have done it on you a long time ago…Just to make you disappear away from my sight."**

Elijah raised one of his eyebrows. He knew Klaus too well, enough to know that he would not brag about something that wasn't at his sadistic image. He turned and started to walk to exit the room, before being stopped one more time by him.

"**My deepest sympathy to Elena, by the way…It shouldn't be long now that her lover will be "bye-bye" gone, for** **ever…She could easily go back to the other brother, the ripper one, well…till I get my hands on that one too, of** **course..."** He started, adding. **"…And as for you, Elijah…I will say, until I take back Katherine, as my possession, away from you!"**

Elijah froze his track for a short moment, before continuing his walk and leaving the room.

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><p><strong>A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS<strong>

**CHAPTER 2**

"**AT YOUR MERCY"**

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><p>The flight back home to England had been excruciating and the longest Elijah had to endure in all his vampire life. Unfortunately, vampire speed was not working with this kind of traveling, and even if his nature was to be level-headed, calm and in control, with this present situation unfortunately time was too vital for him to keep his legendary control! Which the irony in all of this was beyond his own comprehension, he was fighting to beat time against a curse that made a vampire human again, to find another curse that would put him back as a vampire! And to top it off, he was himself one of the Original.<p>

It was a relief to finally see his manor driveway, with line of ancient trees, from his limousine side window. The car stopped, and Elijah stepped out of the back seat, passing his hands on his three pieces Gucci suit. He directed his walk toward the front entrance of his English Manor before being welcomed by an elderly English butler

"**It is a pleasure to see you back home master Elijah."**

"**Charles, my old friend…"**Elijah answered while smiling at him, before putting a friendly hand on the old man left shoulder.

The elderly butler was wearing a traditional English uniform, with his white shirt, hair and beard impeccably ironed, combed and trimmed. He was standing in front of Elijah straight as a steel pole. They both entered the Manor.

"**Can I serve you tea Master Elijah?"** His chief butler asked him.

"**I need something stronger Charles…"** Elijah answered back.

Charles brought a glass of alcohol to him a minute later.

"**Did she behave****herself?"** Elijah asked his butler while putting his glass of whisky to his mouth to take a sip.

"**Mm…Behave would not be my choice of words master Elijah…"**Charles replied while crossing his hands behind his back.

"**And what would be your choice of words Charles?"** Elijah started, lowering his glass down while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**In all reserve of mistaken the exact events, master Elijah, I recall four attempts to try to kill me, she also tried to escape seven times, wanted to suck up dry the young man who brought the news paper this morning, and this is without counting that she almost snatched the hand of one of the guard, and I mean literally. I believe that Mrs. Katherine will be a delightful addition of this house!"**Charles added with a serious expression on his face.

"**Now Charles…Do I hear a bit of sarcasm in your voice?"**Elijah asked with a smile on his face.

"**Not at all Sir, I've grown****very attached to her in this short period of delighting time she had passed in the manor, she keeps me on my toes."**Charles added with his impeccable English accent.

"**Why am I not surprise of her behaviour?"** Elijah added while finishing his glass of alcohol in one gulp. **"Did she at least help with the cleaning of the manor?"**

"**Oh yes! And cleaning is a weak word… About that Master Elijah…"**Charles started.

"**Yes?"**Elijah asked in anticipation of the following sentence of Charles.

"**I believe that your present wardrobe has less clothing than****when you left England…While ironing, she burned five of your Armani shirts …Your underwear shrink three sizes and are now pink."**Charles explained in the most serious manner possible.

Elijah busted into loud laughter.

"**How did she manage to turned black underwear into pink?"** Elijah asked him, while crossing his arms on his chest with a big smile on his face.

"**Miss Katherine must have****some knowledge in the chemical of house products; she put bleach with the laundry the first time, and a second time, then she cleaned the said same laundry with the red curtains of the dinning room that needed to be cleaned in dry cleaning…Sorry to announce Master Elijah, that the curtains in the dinning room are now new and green."**Charles added still very serious.

Elijah stroked his eyelids with his right hand.

"**I knew she would cause****trouble, but to this point….Where is she now?"**Elijah asked him.

"**I believe in the garden, picking up vegetables****for the cook. I already fear the result of this easy task."** Charles responded.

"**I'll take care of her in a short while…"** Elijah responded to him, before taking a sitting place on a country style English arm chair. **"..Come and sit with me my friend, I have a serious subject to discuss with you Charles, as my friend, confident and warlock, and not as my butler."**

Charles nodded his head before taking a sitting place near Elijah.

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><p>Katherine entered the kitchen by the garden back door with a basket of vegetables in her hands. She deposited it on kitchen island counter, before sweeping her dirty hands on her awful two pieces polyester maid uniform, Polyester! Why man kind had ever created that awful piece of fabric on this earth is a mystery to her. The dirt on her hands was sticking like glue, her fingers nails were now all broken, and the roughness of her hands skin made her cringed her teeth. She took a few steps toward the sink, while opening the faucets, before passing her hands under the water. Two English maids entered the kitchen at that moment.<p>

"**He just arrived!"** One of the young maids said whispering to the other one, while clapping her hands together.

"I **saw him from the parlour room window…He was getting out of his limo, he looked dashing and sexy in his suit."**The other maid answered.

"**I'm wondering if Miss Elise will be visiting him soon."** The youngest asked.

"**Mm…I don't know…He could be back only for a short visit?"** The other answered.

Katherine raised her head and eyebrows, these two stupid idiots could only be talking about one and only person: Elijah! "Damn it" she thought, he was already back in England! Not that she was waiting for a phone call, or a box of chocolate and flowers with the mention: Honey, I'm home… but a bit of notice would have been nice, she would had at least tried to escape one last time before his return. Now, she was stock in here, till he would decide to leave again…And without the certainty of not becoming a pile of dust before tomorrow comes. She dried her hands on a towel, before leaving the kitchen silently, leaving the two maids in a gossip conversation.

Katherine walked several corridors, on her tip toe and on her guard, before arriving at the main entrance of the manor; there was no sign of Charles. Thank God! This head of staff butler/warlock is a nightmare to her! He was able to predict each of her next moves, even before she would think about them! She heard voices coming from the parlour room. She walked toward the said room, noticing that the door was half-open, her back glued to the wall behind her, while looking around to make sure that nobody would notice her.

She pushed the door a tiny bit more, to hear the conversation.

"**Damon Salvatore…"** Elijah was saying.

"**Yes…I ****recall one of Salvatore's brothers…"** Charles answered. **"…What, your delightful, long lost brother, did he do this time?"**

"**He has on his side a very powerful warlock…and to neutralized Damon, he asked him to put a spell on him."**Elijah explained to Charles.

"**What kind of a spell?"**Charles asked him.

"**He made Damon human again…"** Elijah answered.

Katherine stumbled at Elijah's answer while opening her mouth in surprise.

"**That kind of spell is almost impossible!"** Charles burst in anger, while getting up. **"And if it was even possible for a warlock to make it work, the price to pay would be as equally bad!"** The elderly warlock added to Elijah.

"**It is bad…"** Elijah started, standing up on his feet. **"..The spell came with a human sickness."**

Charles looked Elijah in the eyes, before raising one of his eyebrows.

"…**Human sickness…"**Charles asked Elijah. **"...Relating to blood, isn't it?"**

"**Leukemia..."** Elijah answered while nodding his head.

"**It is a: don't wish for what you are wishing to have, spell…"** Charles explained.

Elijah approached Charles standing position, before putting one friendly hand on his right shoulder.

"**Is there something to do my friend?"** Elijah asked him.

"**There is ****a way…But I'm afraid to tell you that the final outcome will be as painful…"** Charles added, before being stopped by a small noise coming from the entrance corridor.

Elijah turned his head while putting a finger on his lips as a silent gesture to Charles, before murmuring silently on his lips "Katherine" to the elderly warlock.

"Damn it" Katherine mumbled in her head, this stupid vase on the left side of the door could put her in more trouble than she needed to be now! She turned on her tip toe silently before leaving the corridor with her vampire speed, at the moment Elijah opened the door, and took a look at the empty corridor.

"**She left!"** Elijah explained to Charles, before turning back into the room. **"…Now can I count for your help my friend…If possible, we could take a plane back to Mystic Fall at the soonest possible…"**

"**Yes…Of course…but, like I said, the outcome of the reverse spell could be devastating!"**Charles repeated.

Elijah raised one of his eyebrows, before directing his walk toward a console table, to pour another glass of alcohol.

"**Explain it to me…I'm listening…"** He replied, turning his sight on Charles, with an upset expression on his face.

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><p>Katherine was cleaning garden vegetables in the kitchen sink. When she suddenly stopped her movements, raised her head, all her vampire senses in alert, opened her eyes widely, before sliding inside her right sleeve, a knife that she had silently grabbed on the kitchen counter, taking off a second later with her vampire speed toward the exit of the room, before being pushed violently against the left side wall of the kitchen, with a firm hand on her throat, while feeling her body raised in the air.<p>

"**Now…I heard that you've been a bad girl Katerina!"** Elijah whispered to her, his mouth at a near inch of her right ear.

"**I…please…you're hurting me…"**She whispered, while trying to put the tip of her toes on the kitchen floor.

Elijah closed his hand even more strongly over her throat, while playing with a lock of her hair with his other hand.

"**What part of our previous agreement did you not understand Katerina? Now…What should be your punishment…Mm? I'm in a good mood today, you can even choice…A quick stabbing in your heart, decapitation…What is your heart desire woman?"**Elijah asked her with a calmer voice than what he was obviously feeling inside of him. **"…Or simply erase all your family memories that you still have in you? Decision, decision….Why don't you help me made up my mind."**He asked her.

"**Please…"** Katherine pleaded to him, with tears coming out of her eyes. **"…Don't erase my memory…"**

Elijah locked his eyes with hers for a second, noticing the tears in her eyes, before letting go of his hand that was holding her captive, lowering her body slowly on the kitchen floor.

Katherine put instinctively her hand on her throat while raising her head to look at him.

"**Never try to kill Charles or one of my staff again, and never try to escape either…Am I clear?"** He asked her with a mad expression on his face.

"**Yes!"** Katherine whispered to him.

"**Master…."** He said, for her to repeat.

Katherine cringed her teeth together, God she hated that man with every fibber of her vampire being.

"**Yes master…"** She murmured in her teeth.

"**I did not hear you…"** Elijah replied to her, adding. **"Louder!"**

"**Yes, m-a-s-t-e-r..."** She repeated to him, deliberately pronouncing every syllable, while biting her bottom lips, till it bled, with a noticeable drop of blood running down on her chin.

Elijah took a few steps toward her standing position; she automatically took a few steps backward, away from him, while bumping her back on the corner edge of the kitchen island.

"**It****seems you are very afraid of me Katerina…As you should!"** He started, before raising his right hand on her chin and mouth, passing his thumb slowly and sensually on her chin, to wipe the small drop of blood that was dripping from her bottom lip, before raising his right hand to his mouth and licking his fingers with the tip of his tongue.

Katherine was entirely hypnotized by him, even if she hated Elijah more than anything else, she could not stop staring at him. She was shacking like a leaf, and yes, she was scare of him, but even more despicable, she was turned on by him like no other man before, and the growing fire inside of her was the reminder of the desire she was secretly having for him, and only for this, she realized that she hated herself way more than him at this present moment!

He approached her even closer, before sliding both of his hands on each side of her arms, while locking his eyes with hers. Caressing her shoulders, before lowering the palm of his hands on her elbows, provoking shivers in all her body.

He suddenly raised her right sleeve up on her forearm, taking her by surprise, sliding his hand to get the hidden knife from under the fabric, pushing her angrily on the island counter, making her loose her balance.

"**You know perfectly well,****that a simple stabbing won't kill me, Katherina!"** He said to her with an angry grin on his face, while throwing with rage on the floor, every object that were on the kitchen counter, before grabbing her by the waist, and forcefully lying down her body on the top of the counter, keeping her in place with his vampire strength.

"**Now this is getting very interesting…"** Elijah whispered, lowering his upper body on hers, while looking at the reflection of the sun on the knife blade that he was still holding in his right hand.

If this was the time for her to die, she would accept it with no regrets…It's not like she had lived an angelic vampire life these past hundreds of years...And even if she was the master of the plan A, B and C, this time she knew that her adversary would be impossible to beat at his own game. But she would not accept being so sexually aroused before being killed by him! She needed to die in a way that she could keep some respect of herself; this said, she needed to delay that moment, at least to make it a death that Katerina Petrova could be proud of!

"**I...I took the knife for my own safety!"** She explained in a whisper to him. **"…Not to go against you Elijah…I did not think, I know I was stupid!"** She added.

"**No Katerina, you are even more stupid now to go against me with made up lies, like these that you are telling me now…Did you forget that you need to obey me?"** Elijah asked her, passing the knife blade on her right cheeks, making her startled with fear of what his next move could be. **"…Or do you prefer for me to bring you back to Klaus?"**

"**No!"**She almost screamed at him.**"…Please Elijah, let me go…I will do whatever you want…I won't bother Charles anymore, I swear…I will be your obedient servant."**She whispered to him to help her gain some time.

"**But…The game ****is getting very interesting Katerina…I love to see you crawl in front of me, begging me to spare your pathetic vampire life."** Elijah whispered, while lowering the knife on her throat, her neckline, before sliding the knife under her dress shirt uniform, the coolness of the blade on the skin of her bare legs.

"**What are you waiting for…"**She screamed at him, adding.**"…If you want to make me pay, just stab me a thousand times if you wish!"** She said to him, letting go of her theatrical role of the submissive Katherine, while closing her eyes in expectation of his next move.

He raised the knife, sliding it on the bottom of the dress, before snapping open the entire row of buttons with one rapid blow of the knife blade, leaving Katherine speechless, the dress completely opened, with her almost naked body completely exposed on the kitchen counter.

She lowered her head to look at him, he raised his head to take a glimpse at her complete state of shock, with a sarcastic smile on his face, before sliding both of his hands sensually on each side of her thighs.

"**I know a way of making you pay, that would be more enjoyable for me than repeatedly stabbing you for my morbid enjoyment …and hell for you to endure my sweet Katerina."**Elijah warned her, while sliding his right hand from the outside to the inside of her thigh, on the tender part of her skin, slowly rising his hand to her full round breasts covered by a black lace bra.

Katherine immediately straightened her upper body in a sitting position, before stopping his hand, while holding it firmly in hers.

"**Stop…"** She begged him, adding. "**Don't do this!"**

"**Stop….Really? You're giving me orders Katerina…"** Elijah asked her, while hiding that he was hurt by the fact that she was still repulsed by his touch, adding. **"Let go of my hand…"** He ordered her to do.

She stopped holding his hand, listening to his demand, while closing her eyes. He would notice…or he probably did already, her arousal for him…She was way too sexually attracted to him, and if so, she would not be able to look at her reflection in the mirror anymore! She needed to keep her dignity over him! She hated him way too much, to let him have that much power over her. She gasped when she felt the tip of the knife touching the lace, on the left side of her bra, delicately caressing the contours of its cap, sliding the blade between her breasts, under the elastic band, before cutting her bra in two, liberating her round breasts.

"**You are beautiful….You always been..."** Elijah whispered while putting the knife on the island counter, before sliding his hands under her bottom, grabbing her body a second later, bringing her in full contact with his chest. She had no other choice but to put her hands on his shoulders, before raising her head, and look at him in the eyes, her mouth at a near inch of his.

"**Elijah…Please…"** She begged him to not pursue.

He lowered his head, before putting gently his lips on the left side of her neck. When his lips touched her neck, she closed her eyes, while opening her mouth, feeling hundreds of shivers on her body all at once. His kisses were a soft as silk on her skin.

His right hand reached the roundness of her right breast, cupping it, before gently caressing her skin. He lowered his other hand, before sliding it on her lower back, and hearing her moan with pleasure.

He suddenly raised his head from her neck, looking at her with an astonishment look on his face. She kept her eyes tightly closed. He knew now! He knew how much she wanted him.

"I'll be damned!" Elijah thought, she was completely sexually aroused by him, not disgusted or repulsed by him…but as arouse as a woman could be for a man.

"**That's a nice surprise Katerina…"** He started murmuring in her left ears. **"…You can keep your eyes closed as much as you want, it won't change anything, I know now…"** He added with a small laughter in his voice, while caressing the softeness of her belly and kissing the roundness of her breasts...His tongue the instrument of her pleasure. Katherine was now lost in a wonderful sexual feeling, of pure lust and desire for him. She encircled his waist with her legs, before grabbing his hair forcefully with her hands.

"**I'm sorry for the interruption master Elijah…"** Charles said before coughing, making them both startled.

Elijah raised his head from Katherine breasts, before getting rid of his blazer in a second, and putting it in front of Katherine naked body, to make her keep her pride.

"**Thank you!"** Katherine murmured to him, still in complete shock of their previous sexual encounter, the butler arrival, but, most of all, that he would do a nice gesture like this one to her.

"**Yes Charles?"** He responded while locking his eyes with hers.

"**A flight could be book for tomorrow morning at eleven Master Elijah…You want me to prepare another luggage full of clothes for you, if this hour is at your convenience, of course?"**Charles explained to him.

"**Yes, book two seats in first class…And prepare my luggage, and as instructed, you will leave with me!"** Elijah added, making Katherine raised one of her eyebrows with surprise…That could be the chance she was waiting for to escape!

"**Yes…Of course!"** Charles agreed while nodding his head.

"**You will also put Katerina in a recluse chamber till my return with guards in front of her door - each day, after her daily cleaning duties!."** Elijah added to Charles.

"**No…Please no!"** She begged him.

"**As you wish Master…I will come later to clean …"**Charles started, while coughing and adding.**"…your latest outburst and the objects on the kitchen floor…"**Charles replied with impeccable serious in his voice, but a sarcastic smile on his face, before turning his back and leaving them alone in the kitchen.

"**Don't put me in a dungeon please!"** She asked him.

"**You won't be…"** Elijah responded to her, while stepping backward of their present embrace. **"..You'll be in your own bedroom…You'll be fed with blood, and you'll have clothes on your back…you should say thank you on your knees!"**

"**Thank you? Are you kidding …You are treating me like a slave…"**Katherine responded, while wrapping herself in his blazer, feeling warm and protected for a strange reason, and sensually aware of the smell of his aftershave.

"**But that ****is what you are to me, Katerina…My slave!"** He added before taking a few steps toward the kitchen exit. **"…Go put another uniform on your back…And help prepare the diner after…You've been warned Katerina…I won't be so gentle with you next time…It would be wise for you to not try to provoke me once again!"**He warned her, before taking a last look at her with a smirk on his lips. **"…The fact that you'll be prisoner of your room…will make you want my return even more Katerina…You'll be longing to see me back in a way…Don't you find this situation romantic?"**He added sarcastically to her.

Devil man he was! Katherine thought he knew that she despised him with all the hate she had in her!

"…**And with the extreme sexual arousal I felt coming from you****…I'm sure that my winter's nights will be filled with pure sensual enjoyment…when and if I get bored!"** He added to her with a big laughter before leaving the kitchen.

She took the knife on the counter and threw it with all her vampire speed at him, but he had alredy left the room, the blade entered the wall in front of her, with a metal noise.

"**I hate him!"** She screamed more to convince herself than anybody else.

* * *

><p>Katherine had been hiding herself for the most part of the previous evening, by getting back to her private bedroom early in the evening, only to fell asleep completely exhausted on her bed. All the staffs was asked to get up very early in the morning to take care of this enormous manor, Elijah presence or not, was not changing anything in the fact that everything needed to be impeccable for the master! It was a bit after seven in the morning, and she was already ironing, in the laundry room of the manor. She had put a new uniform, and she was hiding here hoping to not see him again before his departure. She turned suddenly around, feeling a presence behind her.<p>

"**Oh it's you…"** She said while looking at Charles and continuing her task.

"**Miss Katherine…."** Charles greeted her. **"…Good morning…"**

"**Yes, Whatever…"** She answered to him, while continuing her present task.

"**You know…"** Charles started before crossing his arms on his chest. **"…there must be a way for us to become friends, Miss Katherine."**

"**I****am truly doubtful about it!"**Katherine answered him. **"But,…"**She added while turning to look at him with one hand on the left side of her waist.**"…You should be happy Charles…I've been ordered to not try to kill you…And I will obey to the master's request!"** She said with a sarcastic smile on her face, while continuing her work.

"**You know…If you would take the time to realize it…Mister Elijah is actually very good to you…he has a heart of gold, and if you behave accordingly, you will have a good life here!"**Charles explained to her.

"**I'm sorry…a what?"** Katherine answered back with an astonishment look on her face. **"…A heart of gold? He's a freaking Original…Him and his devil brother ruined my life, Charles…I will never have a good life while being associated with them! And if God give me the chance…I will free myself of this nightmare! Am I clear?"** Katherine told him.

"**Mm….Perhaps, you are missing certain pieces of the history…And I believe you are not the only that suffered a great deal…master Elijah had his heart broken more than once."** Charles added.

"**Oh believe me Charles, I'm not missing any pieces of the puzzle…I was able to free myself of their presence for centuries before encounter a small relapse, that's all!"**Katherine explained to the warlock. **"…As for the suffering…I'm just hopeful that one day they will suffer for the eternity in front of them…And master Elijah is not even able to have a clue of what love is!"**

"**And you do****know I presume? I hope you'll finally understand in the following months that you were wrong miss Katherine…master Elijah is a decent man…He, like you, had to survived the atrocity that his brother had brought on his shoulders…and as for his capacity of love, he also survived a great lost in that department..."**Charles explained to her.

Katherine suddenly raised an eyebrow.

"**Tell me…I'm bored and curious…"** She asked him.

"**Why don't you ask him?"** Charles answered back with a smile on his face, knowing perfectly well, that Elijah's lost love was standing in front of him.

"**I prefer of being stabbed in the chest, one million of times, which would be less painful actually!"** She replied with a big smile on her face.

"**You'll soon meet Mrs. Elise, a lady friend of Master Elijah…You'll need to be respectful to her."** Charles explained to Katherine.

**"Is she the big love of his life?"**She asked sarcastically while putting the sheets in a basket.

"**Not exactly…She is, an old friend of him. Mrs. Elise is actually a powerful witch of England."**Charles explained to her.

"**Oh! Joy to the world…another one!"**Katherine added sarcastically, continuing.**"…And? What else there is between them?"**

"**Mrs. Elise is married to a wealthy, rich man…unfortunately, she is often left alone …like Master Elijah…I would say that they are friends with …what is the right term that the young crowd use these days…"**Charles asked, while hooking her, exactly where he wanted her to be in the conversation.

"…**Friends with benefits?"** Katherine added to his sentence.

"**Yes …I believe that's the term!"**Charles answered her.

"**Well…This****is a good news Charles, for me at least! I already love the woman…You know why?"**Katherine started, adding.**"Because if Mrs. Elise keeps him busy all winter….He won't chase me around this manor…"**She explained to him while taking the basket in her arms.

Charles had to lower his head to hide the smile on his face, obviously he thought, it would not take time for jealousy to enter the heart of Mrs. Katherine.

"**Where do I have to bring these sheets?"** Katherine asked Charles.

"**Master Elijah suite…"** Charles said while trying to keep his serious.

"**What?"** Katherine answered**. "No…no…Please, Charles I'm begging you…Go bring them at my place, or ask one of the other maids to do it…"** She begged him to do.

"**Mrs. Katherine, I'm the chief butler…You think that I'm taking care of putting bed sheets in Master Elijah's bedroom…"** He asked her with a sarcastic smile on his face.

"**Never think that you could become my friend after this…"** Katherine replied to him while passing beside him to leave the room.

"**I try to never be friend with people who are trying to kill me…"** Charles added with a smile on his face. **"…And Miss Katherine, could you try to behave both now and when I'll be away…"**

"**Yes Charles…"**Katherine answered, mocking him with a fake English accent while making a reverence in front of him, before leaving the laundry room.

Yes, Katherine was a vampire woman who has a fiery passionate personality, thought Charles, exactly the kind of woman that Elijah needs in his life and most of all in his bed.

* * *

><p>Elijah was in front of his men dresser's mirror, trying to put his tie in place, when Katherine entered his bedroom for the first time since her arrival in the manor, after knocking on the open door, she took a few steps toward him. The bedroom was classical, with a very masculine decor, rich brown and green colour, with some feminine touches in the draperies and the cushion on the gigantesque wooded boat bed.<p>

"**Good morning Katerina!"** He said to her.

"**Good morning master Elijah!"** Katherine answered sarcastically to him while approaching his standing position, handing him his jacket that he had lend to her the day before. **"Thank you."** She added.

Elijah turned and took a glimpse at her gesture, before turning his sight back to his present task.

"**I'm not your servant Katerina! Put the jacket back in the walk-in."** He ordered her to do.

She walked toward the walk-in door, before sliding it open.

"**The light is at your right…"** Elijah said to her.

She opened the light before holding her steps, her mouth fully open in front of the most prestigious walk-in for man that she ever saw. The richness of the cabinet, the lights, the wooded floor at her feet, the extravagant amount of man clothes, all from different prestigious brands names, the little podiums with watches, sunglasses, shoes. Katerina never saw such richness in a walk-in before.

"**Katerina you're going to stay there all day?"** Elijah asked her while smiling at his reflection in the mirror. He knew her; he knew that she would be impressed by the opulence of that room; she loves expensive things, exactly like him. **"I need you here."** He added.

She got out of the room while closing the door, and took a few steps to reach his standing position.

"**Yes…"** She asked.

"**I can't for the life of me, do this bloody knot on that tie…"** He said to her. **"..Could you try please?"**He asked her while turning his sight on her.

She looked at him in the eyes, but she did not see any hidden agenda in his present demand, so she approached him, while taking his tie in her hands.

"**Sure…"** She replied to him. **"…I'll try."**She added while sliding her body in a very close proximity of his. **"…Let me see…You probably tied it too loosely."**

Elijah was mesmerized by her, after all these centuries, and despite of his best efforts, she still has a major attraction and sensual effect on him, their previous encounter in his kitchen was the perfect prove that he needed to be on his guards around her, if he wanted to not be hurt again. Katherine raised her head to look at him in the eyes. Wrong move, she thought after, she could not detach her sight away from his mouth, and she had the uncontrollable urge to kiss him. For God sake, she needed to have a hold on her crazy thoughts right now!

"**I think I just do it…"** She whispered to him, while detaching herself away from him.

He turned and looked at his reflection in the mirror.

"**How many men ties did you do in your vampire life Katerina?"**Elijah asked with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"**A few…"** She whispered to him. **"…But not always what you're thinking…"** She replied to him.

"**I'm not thinking of you****Katerina, believe me…Neither the previous men that you slept with…Being the only one that will be in your life from now on."** Elijah answered her, before walking toward an English arm chair, reaching for his blazer, before dressing himself with it.

"**Are you going back to Mystic Fall?"** She asked him.

"**You know it already…"** He started, adding. **"…Weren't you listening at the parlour door yesterday?"**

Katerina blushed intensively, before lowering her head.

"**You think Charles will be able to reverse the curse?"** Katerina asked him.

Elijah walked toward her standing position, before crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**Is it a way, a simple obedient maid, is supposed to talk to his Master?"** Elijah asked her with a sarcastic smile on his face. **"…Worrying about the future of your previous lover, Katerina?"**

"**I…"** Katherine started, before raising her head and looking at him in the eyes. **"..I wouldn't wish Klaus's madness on anybody…"** She simply replied to him.

"**Charles will do his best to reverse the curse…"** He finally answered to her.

She nodded her head in approval.

"**Will you miss me, when I'll be****gone?"** He asked her, while caressing one of her cheek with the back of his right hand, before passing his thumb on her bottom lips, creating goosepumbs all over her body.

"**I'll** **keep the house clean till you'll come back!"** She answered, while keeping her sight on the floor to not look into his eyes.

Elijah busted into laughter.

"**Soon, it will be my bed that you will keep warm till my return, Katerina…."** He said to her with a big smile on his face, continuing. **"Now that I'm leaving you'll be ask to stay in your quarter after your cleaning duty in the day…Till I'll come back…Am I clear?"** He asked her.

"**Yes…"** She whispered back to him.

"**Good!"** He added before bending himself to pick up his leather carry-on in his right hand, walking toward the door, before leaving his bedroom.

Katherine took the sheets in her hands from the basket that she had previously deposit on the bed, opened a big wooded wardrobe, before opening one of the drawers to put them inside.

She then approached the bedroom's window, drawn by a force much stronger than her own desire, pushing the lace curtains to take a glimpse at his departure. He was walking toward his limousine, with Charles closely behind him. He suddenly turned and raised his sight to look at Katherine standing position behind the curtains, making her stumble with surprise and stepping backward to hide from his sight, hoping and praying that he did not see her watch his departure threw the curtains.

Elijah smiled, he knew she would be looking at his departure threw the window; and for an unknown reason, he was happy about it.

* * *

><p><strong>Writer's note:<strong> Ok, I had the most enjoyable time writing this chapter…I had a smile on my face all time. I truly hope you enjoyed it…and that you will be with me for the chapters that are coming our way in the future. I will go back to major writing with my two other fan fiction stories (Staroline & Delena)…So, once again, be patient with the update of this one.

Next chapter: **"Honey, I'm home!"**

_**IT'S ALWAYS A JOY TO READ YOUR REVIEWS.**_


	3. Honey, I'm home!

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

Member: Vampdelenea

**Chapter 3**

**SMALL PREFACE – 3 parts -**

**From: last chapter "Too much noise in the bedroom **

**Delena's Fan Fiction cross-over**

Elijah was sitting in front of Sister Marie Emma's desk in her office; he suddenly reached for something in his blazer inside pocket, before handing her a check.

"**Mr. Elijah, this is so kind…You are more than generous toward this convent."** She said to him, with a smile on her face while noticing the amount of zero written on the said check.

"**This is for your present troubles Sister Marie Emma and your help, but most of all, for you absolute silence regarding this delicate manner."** Elijah said to her.

"**Of course…"** She replied to him. "**…You** **already have it!" **Sheadded while nodding her head.

"**Thank you."** Elijah replied to her.

They both turned their heads at the sound of the office door being open.

"**Were you able to perform the curse? Is it done?'** Elijah asked Charles, who was himself passing the office arch door, while nodding his head as a greeting to Sister Marie Emma.

"**Mr. Damon Salvatore is a strong minded individual…"** Charles started, adding. **"…but nevertheless, I was able to put a reverse curse on him….I have no idea what the exact outcome will be…Except that he will loose all his previous memory of his entire human and vampire life." **Charles added as information.

"**How many hours till his transformation will take place?"** Elijah asked him.

"**Difficult to say, an hour, a few at the maximum…"** Charles explained to him, before turning his sight to look at Sister Marie Emma. **"Sister, in no circumstance, anyone can entered that room in the following hours…I will need to be the only one who will enter that room, to fully try to contain him later, while trying to see if I can put another curse to lower his new found devil monster strength …" **Charles stopped for a second before looking for Elijah's approval, which he gave him by nodding his head. **"…this vampire man will have become the worst devil creature to date."**

"**This poor soul…"** Sister Marie Emma said, adding. **"I will inform Sister Marie Lauren, she is the only one, with myself included, who knows the presence of Mr. Salvatore in these walls. So, it will be that bad for him?" **

Charles looked his master in the eyes, before adding.

"**It's worst…"** He replied, adding. **"…The reverse spell and curse probably created some sort of a devil animal, with no soul left in him; he will have no recognition of his past. The only good thing in all of this is ….that he won't die!"**

"**Can he be back to himself in the future?"** Elijah asked Charles.

"**It has to be seen…But frankly, I doubt it!"** Charles replied.

"**Then…"** Sister Marie Emma started while kissing her crucifix on her uniform, adding. **"…I'll pray God to be with him." **

**ooOoo**

"**We'll have to stay a few hours more in the convent, is it possible?" **Elijah asked Sister Marie Emma.

"**With pleasure…"** She replied to Elijah. **"I will show you the way to Father Louis apartment…You'll be more comfortable there…" **She added before being interrupted.

"**Sister Marie Emma…"** A young novice sister screamed, while entering the office.

"**Sister Marie Emily…What are these manners young woman?" **The sister asked the young novice, adding.** "Don't you see that I have visitors, aren't you able to knock?" **

"**My bad Sister…" **The young novice answered her, adding.** "…But this is extremely urgent and important…"**

"**Well, what is it?" **Sister Marie Emma asked her.

"**Sister Marie Lauren has been found dead in the upstairs secluded bedroom. Some kind of animal attack…It was horrible to see Sister…It was a nightmare!"** The young novice explained with a shaky voice and tears rolling on her cheeks.

"**I was afraid of this…" **Charles whispered while looking Elijah in the eyes.

"**Is there any other deaths?"** Elijah asked the young novice Sister, while passing a nervous hand on his hair.

"**Yes…"** The young woman whispered, adding. **"…the convent cook had been found dead in the kitchen…with his head completely blown off of his body!"** She screamed before putting her head in her shaky hands.

"**Come here my child…"** Sister Marie Emma whispered, before taking the young novice in her arms. **"..Where are all the sisters now?" **

"**They are reunited in the church!"** She answered Sister Marie Emma.

"**Good and wise idea…I will come with you to talk to them…"** She said to her, before sweeping away the tears on the novice sister face.

"**I'm so sorry…"** Elijah whispered to Sister Marie Emma.

"**Like I am…"** She whispered back before taking the young novice out of the office.

Elijah turned to look at Charles.

"**Can we do something now?"** He asked him.

"**I'm afraid we can't, master Elijah, we just unleashed, a powerful devil vampire, out there…with no memories in him, to even being able to bind himself, to some sort of restrain." **Charles explained to him.

"**And it means?"** Elijah asked again.

"**That he's not human anymore, and he doesn't have Leukemia…Therefore, he won't die…but, he is a powerful devil beast now that will kill every human that crossed his path…"** Charles answered him.

"**Will he stay in Mystic Fall?"** Elijah asked worried for the safety of Elena. **"..Should we be worry for the others?"**

"**Probably for a very short time…but he is not attached to any of his past souvenirs anymore…he doesn't even remember his own brother…he only knows that he is a vampire and that he needs blood to survive…He'll stay a couple of days, and then he'll move on…Probably…"** Charles explained to him.

"**Then my friend…"** Elijah started, adding. **"…Not like I prayed the last past thousands of years, but I guess that one prayer won't do him bad!"** He added to his butler.

**ooOoo**

Elijah was standing in front of the fire mantle, both of his hands in his pants pocket. Caroline had welcomed him earlier inside, before informing him that she would inform Stefan and Elena of his arrival.

He heard Elena and Stefan arrived behind him.

"**Is it done?"** Elena asked him, before seeing him turning his sight toward the three of them.

Elijah nodded his head.

"**He's back as a vampire…"** He informed them.

Stefan raised one of his eyebrows sensing that something went wrong.

"**Everything went ok?"** He asked Elijah.

"**Not exactly…"** Elijah answered them, adding.** "The reverse curse worked, but he transformed back as a vampire too quickly…he became a beast, with extreme strength and power….a predator with no memory of what he used be…he already killed two people that were in his path, before escaping for good…" **

Elena raised a hand on his mouth to not scream.

"**I'll find him…"** Stefan replied while directing his walk toward the corridor.

"**If you do that…And you manage to find him…He will kill you in an instant. He has no recognition of who you are…" **Elijah informed him.

"**So, I have to stand there and leave my brother, alone, in the world with no recognition of what he used to be?" **Stefan replied mad at this all situation.

"**Yes, that is exactly what you have to do…" **Elijah strongly said to Stefan.

"**Was it one of the sisters?"** Elena asked with tears running on her cheeks.

"**Yes…"** Elijah replied to her.

"**He would have never done this…"** Elena started, adding. "..**He is not himself anymore."**

Caroline walked to reach Elena's standing position before putting her right arm around her shoulders as a friendly supportive gesture.

"**Thank you for your help…"** Stefan said to Elijah, with an empty staring.

Elijah nodded his head.

"**I'll contact you in five years, Elena…"** Elijah said to Elena, adding. **"..Klaus will try to find you again…just before a specific date in five years…" **

"**I don't care anymore…He can even already kill me now if he wants to…" **She answered to him, while staring at the floor in front of her with no expression on her face.

Elijah walked to reach the front door, before passing the arch, and closing the door behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>HONEY I'M HOME!<strong>

While sitting comfortably in their first class luxurious leather seats, Charles had notice that Elijah had kept quiet for the majority of the flight, in silence with his turmoil regarding the three problems that he was dealing with in his head. Elijah was thinking about the previous events that had put himself and Charles in the awkward position to help Damon Salvatore stayed alive, and of course, his own brother who had created this all mess in the first place, and who seemed to have lost all control on himself, and his sanity, if ever he was sane before? And, the fact that Katherine did not leave his mind for one second was added to the mix! Actually, the last listed turmoil should not even be in the list in the first place, but trying to keep her at distance from his thoughts, was like not seeing an elephant in the room. At some points in the duration of the flight, Charles had tried to reach out to him.

"**I'm deeply sorry ****master that nothing else was feasible to save Mister Damon Salvatore…And I can assure you that I truly did my best, and used my better judgment and capabilities as a warlock"**

Elijah had turned his head to his left to look at him.

"**You did what you could do, Charles…You kept him alive as the devil he is now...I'm greatly grateful to you…." **Elijah started, adding. "…**Unfortunately, when my brother put a plan into motion, he had already thought of every possibilities of outcome….And he knew that not one was better than the other…" **

"**Your brother, Master Elijah, always thought like a tormented psychopath soul, you know that already, aren't you?" **Charles added to him.

"**Unfortunately Charles, yes…****I'm just hoping that the next five years in front of us will help me find a plan to go against him before he will tried to find Elena Gilbert again… "** Elijah answered to him, before turning his sight to his porthole window.

In a sense, he was happy to go back in England. He wanted to put a distance between him and his brother, and the last month's events. A lot of his attention was needed on his domain, and he needed also to start locating his lost family. One of his sources had informed him that there was a slight possibility that they could still be alive and being hidden by Klaus in some part of Eastern Europe. It was his destiny to find them now.

* * *

><p>Once again, since a couple of days, the sight of his English manor large driveway, with its line of ancient trees showed itself in front of him. He smiled at the view. He was finally coming home to stay!<p>

"**You seem happy to be home, master Elijah?"** Charles pointed out while turning his sight at him.

"**Actually…"** Elijah started, while turning to look at his chief butler, and long time friend. **"I was missing this house, especially the last months that I was away, Charles…" **Elijah continued explaining. **"..I feel like this house is my home now…I did not feel that way for so long…"** He admitted before lowering his sight on his hands placed on his thighs.

"**It is indeed a lovely manor, ****with a charming English country style…" **Charles started, adding. **"…And now that we have completed** **the staff with the addition of Miss Katherine…the Manor will be taking care properly…If it is still standing and was not burned by her in our absence, of course…." ** Charles added while looking at his side window.

Elijah raised his head to look at Charles with a smirk on his face.

"**You grown atta****ched to Katerina very rapidly, aren't you?"** Elijah mockingly asked him.

"**What is there to not like****, Master Elijah?"** Charles answered him. **"She will certainly keep me on my toes for the following months…" **Charles added, while continuing. **"…And probably yours, wouldn't you say?" **

Elijah turned to look at Charles once again.

"**It is not ****in my habit to have any kind of relationship with the cleaning staff Charles…"** Elijah answered to him, while replacing nervously his blazer on him. **"…She is here essentially because I save her of a torturous destiny in the hands of my brother, and I give her the chance to stay alive as a vampire. There is absolutely no other reason behind my kind gesture toward her…And thinking of the way she treated me in the past…I would say that she has the better end of the straw!"** Elijah added with an angrily tone in his voice.

"**My deepest apologies, Master Elijah…You seem agitated?"** Charles started while nodding his head to him. "…**I was not implying that something personal between you and Miss Katherine could or would happen."** He finished while turning his head toward his car window one more time, while hiding his sarcastically smile to his master.

"**Well…"** Elijah mumbled, adding. **"…It's not…I …Well…We knew each other obviously a long time ago, Charles, and you know the story, behind it…Why am I in the process of explaining this to you?" **Elijah asked him, amazed to feel like he was a teenager explaining to his dad his future intention toward a young lady and not an original vampire aged of thousands of years!

"**Well…I couldn't say Master**** Elijah…but this seems to disturb you a lot…"** Charles added to him.

"**I…"** Elijah started, before closing his mouth.

"**Well…****You will be grateful to know that the manor is still standing…"** Charles said to him with a smirk on his face, at the complete stop of the limousine, before opening his side door. "…**What a relief…Would you say master?"**

"**Yes, indeed…"** Elijah answered him, while raising one of his eyebrows. Was it Charles mocking him?

Elijah stepped out of his limousine car, directing his walk with Charles toward the entrance of his manor, before stopping his pace in front of the maid in chief that was standing in front of the door.

"**Master Elijah…Welcome back to the Manor." **She whispered while lowering her head and blushing, before making a reverence.

"**Thank you****, Elizabeth…I'm always happy to be home…"** Elijah answered her with a big smile on his face.

"**Would you like something to eat Master Elijah…****I would take a little bit of time to drop my luggage in my private quarter and I could take care of it after, if you wish?"** Charles asked Elijah

"**No…No…Take the day off Charles…You are probably tired with the time difference**** from America to here…"** Elijah asked him to do, while turning and adding. **"…I will take a walk around the estate…It will do me good…"** Elijah added while nodding his head smiling and leaving Charles and Elizabeth standing in front of the manor.

Charles looked at him walking away from them.

"**Mr. Elijah seems trouble****d…Am I mistaken?"** The maid in chief asked Charles.

"**Mr. Elijah had to take care of many ****troubling problems the last few days…Nothing to worry about, Elizabeth…He'll be back to being himself in not time…"** Charles started explaining to her.

"**Mrs.**** Elise arrived yesterday night…and she decided to stay the night at the Manor."** Elizabeth explained to Charles.

"**Did Mrs.**** Elise and Miss Katherine meet each other?"** Charles asked her.

"**Not that I know of****, she arrived very late in the night. Is there a problem?"** Elizabeth asked him.

"**Not now…****but one problem will present itself very soon for sure!"** Charles added more for himself, adding. **"…Now Elizabeth, go ask the cook to prepare a festive meal for the return of Master Elijah."**

The maid in chief made another reverence and nodded her head, before entering by the Manor's front door, soon followed by Charles.

* * *

><p>Elijah entered in his bedroom one hour later, unfortunately still on edge; the walk did not have the effect to calm him down. He got rid of his blazer, throwing it on the bed, before opening up his tie and noticing that the top sheet on the bed was open. He raised one of his eyebrows with surprise, and approached it to take a better look. It was obvious that someone had slept in his bed while he was away? He lowered his head toward his pillow, while taking in his right hand a long dark curly hair.<p>

He closed his eyes, while counting silently in his mind, to reach the number ten. And yes! She obviously had the audacity to sleep in his bed, even if he instructed her to be in her private quarter all evenings and nights. And then, he smiled; only Katerina would had the audacity to go against his orders that way, then other feelings came over him, lust and desire! The lust of erotic images that were coming to his mind, the desire of her naked body lying in his own bed, his own sheet covering her perfect round breasts! He felt his manhood harden, the proof of his desire for her. He nodded his head in denial…He needed to stop this nonsense now…When, and if, Katerina would become his, this would not include romantic feelings, not have anything to do with feelings, this would only be sexual attraction, nothing more, nothing less!

He walked a second later toward his modern bathroom. He angrily got rid of his tie, opened his man shirt, before letting it drop on the floor, while opening his belt, and getting rid of his man trousers, taking a walk a second later toward his modern shower, got rid of his boxer, and opened the glass door, before entering in the marble space. Then, he opened the faucets, and put the shower in massage mode, while putting his head under the water and closing his eyes, both of his hands on the upfront wall of his standing position, while stretching his forearms.

He let the water fall on his head, enjoying the vigorous effect on his skin, but still not feeling relax or less on edge than previously. His erotic thoughts of Katerina were starting to take the better of him…and he didn't like it at all! Then he reached for the soap in a close alcove in the wall, before vigorously rubbing his arms and chest with it...Before lowering his hand to reach the length of his member, encircling its circumference with his right hand, while slowly rubbing his cock with his fingers, in a rapid up and down movement on its entire length. Now, that should do the trick to relax him and put his Katerina's erotic thoughts to rest!

* * *

><p>Katherine entered Elijah's bedroom with cleaned polo shirts and body towels in her basket. Only two days since she has been ordered to stay in her quarter, and she was already bored to death! She was even thinking that she wanted Charles, the butler in chief, to come back, for her to have some kind of conversation with someone! That was how much she was bored!<p>

Of course, she could never admit to herself that she secretly had erotic dreams of the "Master" since he had left, and that she wanted Elijah to come back as well! She had hated Klaus and Elijah all her vampire life, it is not now that she would change her mind…No, this was only temporary, till she would find a way to escape and set herself free of them, once again. But, between the two brothers, she was intelligent enough to know that she was yet in the better situation with Elijah. At least here, she was fed with blood everyday, and was not torture…yet?

She dropped the basket on the bed, before freezing her movements, with open eyes in front of the open bed. That was impossible; she said to herself, while putting her hands on each side of her waist, she had ironed the sheets and done the bed herself! And now it looked like somebody had passed the night in Elijah's bed? And she will have no other choice but to change the sheets, yet, once again!

"**Master Elijah wants to have the Manor impeccably clean!"** Katherine mumbled in her teeth, imitating Elizabeth's voice, the maid in chief, while tearing the bedspread away from the bed. **"I hate this! I'm not a freaking maid…And you think I care if his sheets are not impeccably white and pressed…Nope! I don't!" **She suddenly stopped her movements when she realized that the bathroom door was open, and water noise seemed to come from the close room. She dropped the bedspread, while taking in her hands a couple of body towels, perfect cover up to know who was in there. Nobody had whispered or gossiped about the master return? So, who had been passing the night in his bed? Best think to do, was to enter the bathroom, look normal as possible, and see whose the intruder was and still is? Not that she really cared…a wild lion could sleep in his bed and she would still not give a damn…but she was bored and needed entertainment.

She pushed the bathroom door, before being hit by a cloud of steam. She took a few more steps, before opening her mouth in a speechless facial expression, her sight directed at the person who was standing under the shower. Obviously, he had come back earlier than expected…She stood still with no reaction in her body, completely froze beyond believe by the view of his naked wet body, sliding her sight from his feet, his parted legs, his, damn it! Yes… more than adorable bottom…and….suddenly dropping the towels that she was carrying as a diversion on the floor, when she realized that her moment to enter the bathroom could not have been worst! She put her hand on the wall to help her keep her standing position …while not being able to stop staring at what she was witnessing... She should leave…now! But she wasn't able to do it….An intense fire was emerging between her legs, with the urge to drop her uniform on the bathroom floor, and enter in the shower to give him the sexual release that he was obviously eagerly trying to reach. She had been around for hundred of years, but she never felt so excited by the sight of a naked man who was pleasuring himself before!

He was standing, his back in front of her sight, the rapid intense movement of his right forearm and hand was proof enough of the pleasurable caresses he was giving himself…and his manly growl that was coming out of his mouth was a clear indication that he was enjoying himself. He suddenly turned on his left, giving a full view of his erotic gesture to Katherine. Yes, everything was in good place, good size and good length…she thought before shaking her head in disbelief of her present erotic thoughts and sexual fantasy of him.

She was feeling an intense fire reaching her cheeks…She's never been a prude before! All her vampire life she had used sexuality as an advantage over her enemy and for her own pleasure, without any regret, deep real feelings or any connection to another living soul…If she was not counting her connection to the Salvatore brothers….pure sex with no feeling! But, at the present moment, she was feeling like a teenager in front of her first naked man!

She needed to get out of the bathroom now…before doing something that she could regret! She lowered her head to calm herself down, before rising it one last time to take a last glimpse at him…realizing that he was starring in her direction.

"**Oh…"** She mumbled, before lowering her upper body to pick up in her shaky hands the towels on the floor, putting them on the sink cabinet, adding in a shaking voice. **"…I came to brought towels in the bathroom…I didn't know that you were home…"** before getting out of the steamy room.

She walked rapidly to reached the bedroom door, opened it, before seeing the door being rapidly closed in front of her eyes, while being pushed on it, with Elijah's naked body glued to her back, one of his arm encircling her waist.

"**Now…"** He whispered in her left hear, adding. "…**You want to try explaining this again Katerina?"**

"**I…"** She started without being able to finish her sentence.

"**Would certainly like to explain to me this…"** He said to her, before reaching her right hand, before dragging her in front of the bed. **"…Why is my bed, is like somebody had passed the night in it?" **He added her, his hands on each side of his waist.

"**I don't know…I swear I don't…"** She started explaining to him, while blushing at the sight of his naked body. Was it so hard for him to dress himself? She wondered while noticing that his previous private caresses had not accomplished the finale fireworks, judging by his still straight member! It was obvious that he was doing this for her to feel nervous, bad and ashamed about it! Well…It worked! **"…Could you just put something on?"** She finally asked him while blushing.

Elijah raised one of his eyebrows, before putting a smirk on his lips.

"**Why would I do that Katerina? You already saw thousands of naked men before? One more wouldn't change anything for you…"** He firstly said to her, while caressing her left cheek, creating goosebumps all over her body, adding. **"And, it's not like you did not enter my private bathroom to take a good look at me either before?" **He added while approaching her, bending his head at a near inch of hers. **"Did you see something that you liked Katerina?"**

"**Please…."** She implored him, while putting her hands on his chest to push him away. Wrong move! She thought a second later, while staring at his muscular abs, and caressing without her better judgement the softness of his skin. **"I…"** She started without even being able to finish her sentence, being drawn into an aura of desire.

"**Yes?"** He asked her, lowering his head on the left side of her neck, while slowly putting his lips on the most sensible area.

"**Elijah…"** She murmured to him, while closing her eyes, before grabbing his right forearm with one of her hand and his wet hair with the other.

"**Mm…"** He mumbled incoherently, while his lips were leaving a trail of fire on her skin.

"**You have to stop this…"** She whispered to him, while contradicting herself by pushing his head in a closer proximity of her skin that it already was.

"**Why would I stop?"** Elijah asked her, adding. **"Passing the night in a man's bed is an open invitation for more Katerina."**

Katerina opened her eyes, at the moment he was sliding his hands between her thighs.

"**You need to listen to me…"** She started explaining. "**I swear…I did not sleep in your bed last night!" **Katherine added, while raising his head with both of her hands, to make him look at her, before staring in his eyes, approaching him to put her lips on his.

Elijah stopped her by putting a finger on her bottom lips, just before they would have kiss.

"**This will never happen…"** He whispered to her while locking his eyes with hers, and caressing her lips. **"A kiss is the most intimate caress between a man and a woman Katerina…I don't give my kiss as easily as you do…" **He told her with a sarcastic and devilish smile on his face, adding. **"…But you know that I won't say no to your delightful body!"**

"**You can go to hell!"** She screamed at him with pure rage emerging from inside of her, taking him by surprise by pushing him away from her, before trying to leave the room, being hold into a strong grip with both of his arms on her waist and thrown on the bed a second later.

"**Now…that is more like it!"** Elijah said to her, with a mad expression on his face, while passing a nervous hand on his hair. **"You wanted to be in my bed Katerina…And you are now!" **

Katerina raised her upper body in a sitting position before screaming at him.

"**You'll have to force yourself on me…" **

Elijah lowered his upper body on Katherine, each of his arms in each side of her body.

"**Really…Like I was forcing myself on you just now I supposed?" **He sarcastically answered her.

"**I don't give my body to a man who is too much of a coward to kiss me!" **She lashed in his face.

"**Funny you already did it a thousand times before with others!"** He angrily responded, before being slapped in the face by her.

Katherine opened her mouth, before putting her hand on her chest. "Ok that was not a good move…" She thought a second later, while seeing him rubbing his right cheek with his hand, and staring at her with a mad expression on his face.

"**I'm sorry…" **She started, adding**. "…I didn't mean too…You push me …and…" **

"**It's ok Katerina…I know how passionate you can be…"** Elijah answered her, with a sadistic glare in his eyes, while caressing the contour of her face with his right hand**. "Now, there is many sexual ways that you could make me forgive you…"** He whispered to her, while slowly opening her uniform buttons one by one, before sliding his hands under the fabric to open both sides, feeling a burst of desire hitting him at the view of her naked beautiful breasts.

"**You are not wearing any bra, Katerina?"** He asked her, surprised to see only her panties under her uniform.

"**You cut the only one that I have in two …in the kitchen the other day…"** She explained to him, while blushing intensively.

Elijah kept silent, locking his eyes with hers, before lowering his head on her right breast, licking the tip of her standing nipple with the tip of his tongue. Katerina instantly closed her eyes, moaning his name, and grabbing his hair with both of her hands, while raising her pelvis in a silent demand for him to enter in her. He grabbed her by behind, while his hands were sliding under her panties, firmly grabbing her bottom, before sucking her entire nipple in his mouth. She could feel the intense burning fire and desire between her legs, with the intensifying wetness.

"**Oh Elijah, Please…"** She whispered to him, while feeling one of his hands reaching her wet folds, his fingers starting to erotically play with her swelling clit. **"No…"** She mumbled again, while her head was turning from side to side on the pillow, her eyes closed. He had too much control over her! She couldn't let him have her that way…But, every caress of his was more wonderful than the last one…And if she was honest with herself, she would have confess that she wanted him with every fibber of her being, and this, since the moment she had witness him under the shower. But, it was Elijah! The brother of Klaus…her enemies! She needed to stop this…She needed to find ammunition against him!

"**How is Damon?"** She whispered to him, with the certitude that this tactic of hers against him would do the trick.

He raised his head from her breast, before looking at her.

"**It is now that you are worrying about your ex-lover Katerina?"** Elijah asked her.

"**Sex is sex Elijah…"** She replied to him, adding. **"…I can let you do what you need to do to release your sexual tension while asking questions, can I?"** She asked him with a playful devilish glare in her eyes. Yes, Katerina Petrova was back!

Elijah suddenly push himself far away from her, while standing, before walking toward his men dresser, opening a drawer and taking a pair of boxer, before dressing himself. Katerina was not able to see his facial expression, but she knew that she had won this round! She was free of him…Then, why was she feeling sad? She starting buttoned up her maid uniform, before getting up herself.

"**Get out of my room!"** He ordered her to do.

"**What are we having here?"** They heard a feminine voice asked before turning both of their heads to look at the intruder. **"Since when do you parade half naked in front of the maid?"** The said woman asked him.

A tall thin woman, with dark long curly hair, red lipstick to kill, an impeccable designer two pieces suits, with a silk red blouse opened on a low neckline, with a lace black bra, long legs, and stilettos shoes, asked them.

"**Elise?"** Elijah started with a smile on his face, adding. "**What in hell are you doing here?" **

"**Oh you know me…" **The woman answered him.** "…I was bored at home…so I arrived yesterday night and decided to sleep in your bed…I brought you a bag of blood…" **She added while showing the bag in her hands, and taking a few steps to reach Elena standing position. **"Who is she…a new maid?" **Elise asked him, while sliding her sight on Katherine body.

"**Yes…She came to brought me towels…"** Elijah replied to her, while staring at Katherine. **"…Katerina you can leave now, thank you!" **

Katherine made a reverence before lowering her head, and leaving the bedroom.

Elise looked at her departure, both of her arms crossed on her chest, before turning to look at him again.

"**Katerina? That is odd….that name …wasn't it the name of your long lost love of the past, yes it was… Katerina Petrova, if I remember correctly?"** She asked him.

Elijah avoided her sight while taking the blood bag from her hands, and opening the door to his walk-in.

"**Elijah?"** Elise asked him.

"**Yes?"** He mumbled while reaching for designer jeans on a shelf.

"**Who's the girl who just left your bedroom now?" **She asked him again while showing with her right hand.

He pulled up his jeans on his legs, and the zipper up, while stopping his movement for a second, his hands on each side of his waist.

"**She's…"** He started, adding. **"…Katerina Petrova!" **

"**No way!"** Elise exclaimed. **"How is this even possible…I mean, why is she here?" **

"**Courtesy of my beloved brother…" **Elijah continued explaining to her, while passing a t-shirt on his upper body.** "…he had kidnapped her, and put her in a dungeon in his Manor; at Richmond City in the United State…I brought her here with me?" **

"**Aren't you a sweet man?" **Elise answered him, with a perceivable angry stare at him. **"And for what hidden purpose sweetheart?"**

"**Just to let her be free of my brother, and she is now… and also to piss him off…Nothing else but that…" **Elijah answered to her, before taking her in his arms. **"Aren't you a little curious one?" **

"**Mm…" **Elise mumbled, adding while passing her arms around his neck and sliding her body on his. **"…And she is a maid?" **

"**It is a way for her to repay her gratitude for the blood that I give her and a bed at night…" **He explained simply to her while caressing her hair.

"**Which bed, yours?" **Eliseanswered him with a sarcastic smile on her face.

"**Don't be silly…" **Elijah answered her, adding**. "…that is reserved only for you Elise!"**

"**Of course it is…" **Sh**e **answered him, before approaching her lips of his**. "…And I'll do whatever I have to do to keep it that way…" **She added to him with a devil smile on her face, before kissing him.

* * *

><p>Katherine was walking toward the laundry room, when she noticed that Elise was standing in front of her, in the middle of the corridor, both of her arms crossed on her chest, with a mad expression on her face. Katherine was not a fool, she would recognized an angry jealous woman from then miles around her, but that witch seemed more angry than what she had encounter in the past in all her vampire life. She had noticed previously the dislike of Elise toward her right away in Elijah's bedroom. Katherine nodded her head as a greeting toward her, while passing beside her standing position, before being hit by an aneurism, forcing her to kneel on the floor while keeping her head in both of her hands.<p>

"**Listen to me little whore, and listen to me well…Elijah is mine, you hear me, he's mine! Don't ever put your dirty little hands on him…Am I clear? Or I swear I will find a curse to make you disappear!" **Elise warned her very harshly.

Katherine nodded her head in approval to her, while still holding her head to contain the sharp pain that she was feeling.

"**Good!"** Elise replied to Katherine's nodding gesture, before leaving her side with a noise of high heels on the floor.

* * *

><p>Katherine could not remember the last time she had cried that much, she was tired, angry, and extremely nervous at the same time, since her previous encounter with Elijah, and the last one with Elise. She hated every minute of this awful situation that she had put herself in, and in top of everything, she was dressed as a maid, she had lost all her self respect in front of that bitch Elise! She is…Katerina Petrova or Katherine Pierce…chose your pick…but made no different that she was a vampire woman that should be respected and not the other way around! She was now ironing a table clothe in the laundry room.<p>

She saw a handkerchief being presented to her in front of her eyes, and she took it, before blowing her nose.

"**I gathered that you have met Mrs. Elise?"** Charles asked Katherine.

She raised her sight to look at Charles.

"**Thank you!"** She said to him, before blowing her nose in it, and sarcastically give it back to him.

"**You can keep it!"** He added with a smirk on his lips.

Then, she turned her attention to her previous task.

"**She's a crazy lunatic bitch….And she took me by surprise that's all!" **Katherine responded to him, while angrily turning the table cloth on its other side to iron it.

"**I'm not entitled to have a so harsh opinion of her, Miss Katherine…"** Charles responded to her.

"**You're not entitled, my ass….Charles!"** Katherine started, adding. **"…You are thinking exactly the same thing than I…but you are too much afraid of your master to even say anything!" **

"**Oh trust me Miss Katherine, I say what I have to say, when I have to say it, to master Elijah!" **Charles answered her. **"…but I have no say on his personal frequentation" **

Katherine lowered his head, before turning his sight to look at him.

"**I'm sorry!" **She said to him.** "…I know that you don't have a say on this…but, I hate every minute of this situation…and in top of it, she arrived, and she wants to make my life a living hell, when it already was a living hell!" **

"**Mm…." **Charles mumbled, adding.** "…Unfortunately, I saw Miss Elise make a lot of troubles already with the staff of this Manor…It is sad actually…." **

"**What is?" **Katherine asked.

"**Well…"** Charles started explaining to her, adding. **"..If Master Elijah could find another…how to put it properly, female companionship, let's say in the next few weeks…he could probably end his tumultuous relationship with Mrs. Elise, are you agreeing?"** Charles asked with a sarcastic smile on his face.

"**You think?"** Katherine asked him, adding. **"She would leave for good, and not come back?"**

"**Everything is possible…" **Charles replied to her.

Katherine approached Charles standing position, before murmuring near his right ear.

"**Now…Then… you should find somebody to replace her very soon….but, my name won't be on that list Charles!"** She said smiling sarcastically at him, while coming back to her initial standing position.

Charles smiled. Miss Katherine was too intelligent for her own good. But he knew also, that "she" would be the woman who would fight against Mrs. Elise to win Elijah.

"**But I would never imply that it would be you, Miss Katherine…"** Charles said to her, continuing. **"…Master Elijah doesn't have personal relationship with the female staff of the manor."**

Katherine busted into laugher.

"**Are you kidding me, it's a joke!"** She exclaimed herself, while blushing a minute later, realizing that she was implying that she knew the contrary.

"And you just told me the truth!" Charles thought in his mind while smiling. So, they already had another sexual encounter following the one he had previously witnessed in the kitchen.

"**I mean…I wouldn't be surprised if …Well…None of my business!"** Katherine ended the conversation, while taking the table clothe in her hands and passing by Charles, before stopping and asking him. "**Did you…I mean…Is Damon alive?"**

Charles looked at her for a short moment.

"**Mr. Salvatore is indeed alive…But, many repercussions followed the curse that I had to perform on him…He had lost his past memory for good!"** Charles simply explained to her.

"**Thank you…"** Katherine answered him. **"…And Charles, I won't let her play with me that way….Master Elijah in the middle or not…." **She added with a smile on her face before leaving the laundry room.

The elderly butler reached for an English caramel candy in his right pants pocket, slowly unwrapping the golden paper around it, before entering this sweetness in his mouth. He closed his eyes, while savouring the taste, opening his eyes again, before folding the said wrapping paper in two, while saying out loud with a big smile on his face.

"**Let the fun begin!"**

* * *

><p>Next chapter:<strong> "Now that you're mine!"<strong>

Thank you for your kind reviews…It is always putting a smile on my face.


	4. Now that you're mine

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**- Lovely Vero -**

**Chapter 4**

"**NOW THAT YOU'RE MINE"**

Katherine passed in front of the open door of the parlour room, before stopping her walk at the view of several maids who seemed to be lurking in front of the large bay windows. She approached the little group and wondered what they were looking through the sheer curtains.

"**What are you doing?"** She asked them, in a loud voice.

All of the maids present suddenly jumped out of their skins, before turning and staring at Katherine.

"**Shh…."** They all murmured to Katherine, with a finger on their lips as a hand gesture.

"**Shh…what?"** Katherine asked, approaching herself the window, while looking through the lace curtains.

"**We are hoping that Mrs. Elise is leaving…She asked for her limousine to be ready in front of the manor…and Master Elijah is now talking to her in front of the open passenger door." **A young maid answered to her.

"**Mm…" **Katherine said,while looking at the said couple through the curtains.** "…If this is true, it is not standing in front of the curtains that you should all do, you should host a party with a lot of alcohol!" **

"**If only…" **One of them answered Katherine.

Katherine saw Elise throwing her arms around Elijah's neck, before gluing her body to his.

"**Oh…they're going to kiss now…"** Another maid said.

Katherine was still looking at them through the curtains, way more interested that she should be actually. One of Elijah's hands was sliding from Elise's back, to her bottom, on a slow caress, with his other hand in her hair. Katherine felt a weird feeling in her stomach…A combination of jealousy and repulsion…and she nodded her head to make that disappear.

"**May I know what all of you ladies are doing in front of the bay windows?"** Charles's voice called them, with an angry tone in his voice.

All the maids turned around to look at Charles, before leaving their standing positions, and walking toward him.

"**I think you have enough work to keep you busy in this manor, or I am making a mistake? If some of you need extra work because they are bored, it will be my pleasure to find you some!"** He asked them, before seeing them pass beside him, while making a reverence and going back to their initial working tasks. All of them, except one of course, Katherine!

Charles walked toward Katherine standing position, before crossing his arms in front of his chest, with a smile on his face.

"**Miss Katherine?"** He asked her.

"**Mm…"** She mumbled to him, while still staring at Elijah and Elise, before feeling Charles's staring on her, and turning to look at him. **"…What?"**

"**Don't you have a kitchen floor to wash?"** He sarcastically asked her.

"**Mm…"** She mumbled again to him, **"…Yes…But it is ten in the morning…so technically, it is my break time."** She explained to him.

"**And what is so interesting behind these curtains, Miss Katherine, that you would take your fifteen minutes break to look at it?"** Charles asked her, already knowing the answer to that question, having been the one who brought Mrs. Elise's Louis Vuitton bag, on the porch.

"**The bitch is supposedly leaving today…I'm enjoying her departure…"** Katherine answered, while watching Elijah and Elise burst into laughter**. "How many hours does it take to say goodbye to someone anyway?"** She thought out loud to herself.

Charles took a glimpse at Katherine's nose glued to the window, before smirking.

"**Well…Depending on the intensity of the romantic relationship, I supposed…"** He responded to her, before taking a standing position at her side.

"**What?"** Katherine replied to him. "…**These two have absolutely no chemistry between them…I prefer to watch two spiders, doing it on the wall, than these two now!" **

"**Then..." **Charles murmured in her left ear.** "…What are you doing glued to the window?" **

Katherine turned her sight to look at Charles, who raised one of his eyebrows in a question mark gesture.

"**I'm…"** Katherine started explaining. **"..Bored and curious, that's all!"**

"**Mm…"** Charles mumbled, while looking through the curtains and window. "..**It seems that they will kiss now."**

"**What?"** Katherine said to him, before turning to look at them.

Elijah lowered his head to reach Elise's lips, giving her a tender kiss goodbye, before pushing her into the limousine. Katherine stomach turned inside out for a split second, with a feeling of jealousy that she, again, decided to simply ignore.

"**What the hell!"** Katherine busted, with an angry tone in her voice.

"**Something wrong, Miss Katherine?"** Charles ironically asked her.

"**He kissed her?"** She said in pure anger. .

"**Well, yes…it seems to be the true visual fact at the moment!"** Charles added to her, with his arms still crossed on his chest, while trying to keep his serious at her jealousy outburst. **"…And what seems to be the problem miss Katherine?"**

"**The problem…"** She said to him, while turning herself to look at him, with her hands on her waist. **"…is that he kissed her…and to me he said that …" **

"**Yes?" **Charles asked her, adding.** "What seems to be the problem, Miss Katherine? What did he say to you exactly about kissing?" **He asked her with a sarcastic smile on his lips.

Katherine was standing in front Charles, with a mad expression on her face, and an angry glare in her eyes.

"**Nothing…"** She responded to him, before passing beside him, while directing her walk to exit the parlour room. **"…I have a kitchen floor to wash."**

Charles looked at her departure of the room, before adding out loud to himself:

"**I knew it was going to be fun…but never thought it would be so entertaining!"**

* * *

><p>Katherine stretched her arms above her head to relax her muscles, before opening her bedroom door. The bedroom was small, but clean, with a small bed, a side table with a lamp, a small desk near a window, and a big wooden wardrobe. It was almost six o'clock at night, and, she just finished another day of work at the manor. She was a bit tired, and needed to feed. She had brought the blood bag that has been given to her, putting it near her mouth, she took the first big gulps. Yes! This was without a doubt what she needed! And of course having the hallucination in front of her eyes of a dozen of shopping bags, from well known stores in England, would do the trick also to revamp her good mood, and make her forget her tiredness…She closed her eyes, before stroking them with her right hand…She was obviously too tired …and needed to rest! She opened them again, only to see that the bags were still on her bed. She dropped the blood bag on the desk, while approaching the bed, with a stone expression on her face and wide opened eyes.<p>

She took with her hands from one of the bag, a beautiful box, while opening the white silk ribbon around it; she then raised the silk paper to find the most beautiful set of bra and panties that she ever saw in all her life. In black silk with soft pink lace around the cups, and a beautiful little pink bow on the front with a…no! That can't be? Katherine though, while lowering her head to look at it… yes…a little diamond on top! This must had cost a fortune! She looked at the label attached to the fabric; it was a Coco Chanel brand, and exactly her size! She put it back in the box, dropping it on the bed, before taking another bag in her hands only to find other silk panties in every matching color possible, black, pink, white,… then she opened another box, to find a white nightgown, then in another bag, a toiletry bag with Dior makeup, then a blow dryer, a curl iron, and some other girly stuff….She looked frantically everywhere, and finally saw a beige envelope on the bed…She took it in her shaky hands, opened it, knowing perfectly well from who this was coming from, and she finally read the little card:

_**I'm offering this to you, to replace the bra that I've cut in two, hope you'll like it?**_

_**Elijah**_

Katherine put the little card inside the envelope. He was obviously trying to buy her for more services, than her cleaning ones in the manor…She was everything but a stupid fool! But, then again…Why was she not playing his game? She has play games with men all her life? What would be so different with him? It would be great to be treated like a princess for a little while, before finding a way to escape this place for good…Sleeping with him wouldn't be so bad? Not like she never used sex before to obtain what she wanted….No! She nodded her head. Absolutely not! Elijah and Klaus had made her human, and vampire life a leaving hell…she wouldn't accept this! But…She thought…It was true that he did cut her bra in two, so…she thought while smiling and taking the offered new black satin bra in her hands, this was hers to keep without shame! She frantically took off her uniform and panties, before sliding into the new ones, and the new bra on her breasts, closing the golden snap behind her back, she then untied her hair from her bun, liberating her long curls on her shoulders, before opening the wooden wardrobe door that held a length mirror.

She smiled and looked at her reflection in the mirror, while parading, with both of her hands on her bra cups, to place them properly, while sliding her hands on her panties to feel the softness of the fabric. She never noticed the presence behind her, neither the door being closed.

"**You look beautiful…"** She heard a voice murmuring to her. **"…You like it?" **

Katherine jumped and turned to look at the intruder in her bedroom. Elijah was leaning on the wall, his arms crossed across his chest, his dark hair scattered probably by the wind outside, a pair of dark jeans on him, with a black t-shirt, and riding boots, without a doubt he was coming from one of his riding trip.

"**You scared me to death!"** Katherine said to him, while putting her hands in front of her breasts.

"**I knocked on the bedroom door, but you did not hear it…"** Elijah explained to her, adding. **"..You were looking at yourself in the mirror…Plus, that would be difficult to accomplish."**

"**What would be?" **Katherine asked him.

"**Scare you to death…"** He started, adding with a smirk on his face. **"…Considering"**

Katherine look at him with a small smile on her lips, and she tried to move toward the bed, to pick up her uniform, but she was glued with her legs on her standing position. He always had that effect on her, and she hated that!

"**You…I mean, Charles needs me for something?"** Katherine asked him, while blushing.

"**No…"** Elijah answered her, while slowly sliding his sight on her almost naked body. **"…This is your free time Katerina."**

"**So…Do you want something from me?" **Katherine asked him.

Elijah busted into laughter.

"**Only you Katerina, would have the courage to ask me that question, while knowing perfectly well what I want from you…" **Elijah replied to her, while locking his eyes with hers.

She lowered her head before approaching the bed, taking in her hands all the shopping bags, before standing with the bags in front of him, and looking straight into his eyes.

"**I accept the bra that I am wearing now, because you cut mine in two, and it was mine…"** She started explaining to him. **"…but you can take back all the rest…I am not that easily bought…"** She said to him, adding. **"…I think that Mrs. Elise should be enough to satisfy you! And if you don't mind, this is my private personal time, and I would like to be alone!" **She finished before dropping the bags at his feet, and turning to reach the mirror again, while putting her hair in top of her head in a bun.

Elijah looked at the bags at his feet, before raising his head and looking at her position in front of the mirror, he walked toward her, before staring at her sight in the mirror. Katherine was trying to remain as calm as possible, but she was shaking inside, scare or nervous of being touch? She couldn't say, and would not analyze it too much either.

"**Never throw back in my face gifts that I've give to you…"** He started saying to her, with a calm voice that created goosebumps all over her body. **"…Am I clear?"**

Katherine nodded her head in the mirror while staring at him.

"**As for the part of not being easily bought…Isn't it the way you acted all your vampire life Katerina? Sexual services offered to men to achieve your own purposes, am I mistaken?" **He asked her.

Katherine lowered her head, while closing her fists with anger, and holding back her tears. He had a way of diminishing her that was worst than entering a wooden stake in her chest!

"**I did what I had to do to survive…because of you and your brother"** She whispered in her teeth.

Elijah lowered his head at her affirmation for a short moment also.

"**I never forced physically a woman to be with me…"** Elijah replied to her, adding. **"…Elise is what you can call my steady partner, but she's married…and she found advantages in that alliance, like I find advantages in the fact that she is not always here with me….Nevertheless, if you would accept to be my mistress…you would find advantages for yourself too…"** He continued, while putting his hands on her waist, bringing her in full contact with his chest, and liberating her hair, once again, from her bun. **"…I prefer your hair on your shoulders…"** He whispered in her right ear, before lowering his head and put his lips on the most sensible part of her right shoulders, encircling her waist in a firm grip with both of his arms and hands.

Katherine closed her eyes, leaning her head on his chest, every time he was touching her, she was lost in this aura of desire, and couldn't think straight…but she needed to get a grip on herself.

" **What…What kind of advantages?**" She whispered to him.

"**We can negotiate if you want…"** He answered to her, while sliding his hands on her panties and playing with the elastic before slowly sliding his fingers to touch her skin under it. She opened her mouth and grabbed his forearms, while biting her lips.

"**Three…three days off of work by week…"** She murmured to him, while feeling the wetness between her legs intensify.

"**Two…"** He responded to her, while slowly sliding one of his hands in her back to open her bra.

"**I want new clothes…From top designers!"** She requested from him, while feeling the straps of her bra glide on her shoulders and arms.

"**Only if it is me who will chose them…"** He replied to her.

Well…He seemed to have good taste she thought; if she was looking at all he had brought to her today. But, more urgently, she needed to buy time, to stop him for undressing her completely right this minute, she thought, before feeling a second later, her bra being dropped on the floor in front of her eyes, watching every of his gesture in the mirror in front of her.

"**You just dropped a diamond bra on the floor …"** She exclaimed to him, adding. **"…That bra must have cost a fortune…"**

"**Mm…"** he mumbled in his teeth, while sliding both of his hands on her breasts, before cupping and grabbing them passionately. **"…Twelve thousands of dollars"** He responded to her.

Oh my God, Thought Katherine in state of shock, after hearing him admit the price of the bra.

"**That is all that you want?"** He asked her, while circling with his fingers, both of her brown aureoles from her breasts, before striking her nipples in an erotic gesture.

"**Noo…."** She managed to whisper to him. **"I…."** She added, before feeling his right hand sliding toward her belly, sliding his fingers a second later under her panties, before reaching her wet folds in an expert caress.

"**Why are you fighting it…"** Elijah whispered to her. **"…the only thing that your body is telling me right now is your growing desire for me." **

"**A deal is a deal Elijah…" **She whispered to him, while suddenly managed to detach his hands on her body, turning to look at him, and taking him by surprise by pushing him on the other door of the wooden wardrobe with her vampire speed.

Ok! Thought Elijah with a smirk on his lips, you want to play rough…let see what you have to give Katerina.

She put her hands on the belt of his jeans, before opening it, and sliding his zipper down, sliding a second later her hand under the elastic of his boxer, before setting free, and grabbing, his already hard length in her small hand.

"**Now…"** She whispered to him, while biting his left ear. **"…two can play this game!" **

"**Yes…"** He whispered to her, while feeling her hands pumping his length in the most pleasurable way he ever felt in all his life. **"…But only one can win…"** He added to her, by murmuring it in her right ear, sliding his left hand on her bottom, under her panties, before reaching her wetness by behind, and entering a finger in her wet walls.

Katherine closed her eyes, while finally grasping that she wanted that man like she never wanted any other man before in her life. She lowered her head on his shoulders, before opening her eyes, and realizing that his mouth was at a near inch of hers. He locked his eyes with hers, in a very intense staring, before lowering his mouth almost on hers…She closed her eyes in anticipation, and wait of finally tasting the wetness of his lips, and let her tongue explore his mouth…"Kiss me!" She thought, but he suddenly turned his head to the other side.

They both jumped out of their skins, when they heard a knock on the door. They rapidly detached themselves of each other, while she was reaching for her uniform on the bed to dress herself, and he was putting his pants on him, before showing her with a finger on his lips to keep quiet his presence in the room, while taking his position behind the door.

She opened her bedroom door.

"**Yes?"** She said to Elizabeth, the maid in chief that was standing in front of the door.

"**I prepared the new schedule for next week, Miss Katherine."** She answered her, while giving her a sheet of the said chart.

"**Thank you…"** Katherine answered to her, while taking the sheet in her shaky hands.

"**Are you alright?**" Elizabeth asked her.

"**Yes…"** Katherine answered her, adding. **"…Just** **a bit tired…I think, I will sleep now." **

"**Ok, alright…Good night then." **Elizabeth said to her, before leaving her.

Katherine closed the door, before turning to look at Elijah.

"**I'll think about it…"** She whispered to him.

Elijah approached the door and her standing position, lowering his head to look at her in the eyes.

"**Regardless of your answer Katerina, the gifts are yours… Appreciation of the work you did for me since you arrived…And look behind the closed door of your wooden wardrobe…You'll find relaxing clothes for you to enjoy in your free time…"** He said to her, before opening the door and leaving her.

Katherine rushed in front of the wardrobe, before opening the closed door, and seeing in front of her eyes, jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, and even two pair of shoes, all from high quality brands. She smiled.

* * *

><p>Today, Sunday, July 26th, it was the annual mud day on Elijah's estate. For the little that Katherine had learned about this special day…It was held once a year in summer, on a Sunday to celebrate summer and the history of the manor. Every employees of the estate was invited by the Master for a picnic, and a friendly, bare feet walk in the mud.<p>

Katherine walked on the grass to join Charles who was drinking a glass of punch.

"**Hey!"** She said to Charles.

"**Well….Hey, to yourself Miss Katherine…"** Charles said to her, adding. **"…Aren't** **you looking pretty today?" **

"**You think…"** Katherine said to him, while looking at her choice of clothes. She was wearing light blue skinny jeans, with a cute white corset top, her curly hair cascading over her shoulders. She had put her makeup, and done her nails. Nobody would recognized her as the maid today…she was Katherine Perce!

"**You are not bad yourself…"** She said to him, with a smile on her face. **"…You are very handsome, Charles, in jeans and polo shirt."** She added to him.

"**Well now Miss Katherine…Are you trying to make me blush!" **Charles replied to her with a smirk on his lips.

"**That would be the day…" **Shesaid to him, with a wink of an eye.

"**A glass of punch?"** Charles asked her.

"**Sure."** Katherine answered him, while frantically looking around in search of something, or was it someone?

Charles offered her a glass filled with orange punch, which she took while smiling at him.

"**Thank you!"** She said to him.

"**He's not there yet…"** Charles added to her, while looking at the crowd of people with a smile on his lips.

"**Who?"** She asked him, while blushing.

"**The person you are frantically searching for, Miss Katherine…"** Charles responded to her.

"**I'm not searching for anybody."** She responded to him, while drinking her glass.

"**He's been delayed in the city…he had a business appointment."** Charles explained to her, while watching her reaction very closely.

"**On a Sunday…"** Katherine exclaimed, adding. "..**He could not be here for his employees?"** She asked Charles, who was smiling like the cat that just ate the bird.

"**So, the person you were searching for…was after all Master Elijah, Miss Katherine?" **Charles asked with a mocking expression on his face.

"**I…"** Katherine started answering him, adding. **"…Don't know what you are talking about!" **

"**Of course not Miss Katherine, I apologize then." **Charles answered her, while hiding his laughter behind his glass.

"**By the way Charles, where is this celebration coming from?"** Katherine asked him, while taking a couple of carrots stick in her hands from a table buffet in front of her.

"**1902, the driest summer on the estate of this manor…The villagers had not received a single drop of water on their heads since more than two months, when the biggest thunderstorm arrived…flowing in its path an incredible amount of rain that was needed to survive. The owner of this Manor at that time, organized a celebration, but on the estate property, and mostly because of the rain, mud was floating everywhere…In their joy and happiness, all the villagers danced with their naked feet in the mud. Since then, every owner of this manor had kept intact this tradition and celebration day." **Charles explained to her.

Katherine smiled at him.

"**It's a nice story…" **She answered him, adding.** "..And Charles, what is up with the mix of humans and vampires in the staff?" **

Charles crossed his arms in front of his chest, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**And then again…you knew?"** He asked her.

"**I'm not stupid…"** Katherine whispered to him, adding. "..**What is the deal?"**

"**Master Elijah is a firm believer that it is possible for normal humans being and vampires to cohabit."** Charles explained to her.

"**What?"** Katherine exclaimed, adding. **"…Since when? I…Frankly, I don't figure that man out." **

"**That is maybe because you have a lot of missing pieces of the puzzle, Miss Katherine…"** Charles murmured in her right ear.

"**How can it work?"** She asked him, continuing. **"They must feel strange awkwardness sometimes, and seeing the blood bags…and other things?" **

"**They've been compelled to forget after each day of work…" **Charles explained to her.

"**Can't believe it is working…"** Katherine said to him.

"**It has its up moment and down moment…"** Charles added to her.

"**What is that bitch doing in here?"** Katherine whispered to Charles, in his right ear, who after turned to look at Elise's arrival.

"**She was probably invited by Master Elijah!"** Charles replied to her. **"I have to politely welcome her…" **Charles added to Katherine, while starting to walk toward her direction, before being hold back by Katherine's right hand on his left arm.

"**Why? It is obviously your day off of work…Let her be Charles!"** Katherine told him.

"**I'll go to her…Or she will come to us, what is your pick?"** Charles asked her, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**Let her come to us…Let her make the troubles…Maybe your Master will realized what a bitch she really is!"** Katherine said to him.

"**That is your biggest wish, isn't it Miss Katherine?"** Charles asked her, with a smirk on his lips.

"**Well…A girl can dream, can she?"** She replied to him, while bringing to her mouth a strawberry. **"Look at her stupid behaviour…she can't even walk with her stilettos on the grass...What she did not get the memo that we are supposed to be bare foot today?"**

"**Miss Katherine, you really think that she came for the celebration?" **Charles asked her.

Elise approached their standing position, while twisting her ankles with every step she was making on the grass, making Katherine laugh and give an elbow nudge to Charles waist to make him look at her.

"**I hope that before the day is over, she will be fallen her head first in the mud!"** Katherine said to him.

"**Miss Katherine, behave!"** Charles warned her, while holding his laughter.

Charles nodded his head as a greeting gesture toward Elise who was reaching their standing position.

"**Good day Mrs. Elise…It is a pleasure to see you join us at this annual celebration…"** Charles said to her.

"**Mm, yes…whatever, where is Elijah, Charles?"** Elise asked him, while sliding her sight on Katherine outfit with pure disdain in her eyes.

"**I believe Master Elijah has been detained with a business appointment…He should be here soon…"** Charles explained to her.

"**Mm…Why is all the personal bare feet?"** Elise asked him.

"**It is actually, an old tradition …We, employees of the manor, will walk in the mud puddle, in thankfulness for the rain received since the beginning of the summer."** Charles explained to her.

"**This is ridiculous, and so low class…" **Elise responded to Charles, adding.** "So, I presume that nobody will take care of me today, serving me a drink or something?**

Katherine turned his mad glare on her, while taking a first walking step toward her, before feeling one of Charles hand holding her back in her track.

"**It will be my pleasure Miss Elise…What can I get you?"** He asked her.

"**A glass of this awful punch will be ok?"** She answered him.

Employees were starting to reach the mud puddle, while entering their feet in it, with big laughter and amusement. Katherine approached them with a big smile on her face.

"**Miss Katherine, come join us!"** A young maid called her.

"**Maybe later…"** Katherine answered her, while waving a hand at her, before feeling a presence beside her.

"**This is right into your category, of low trash whore!"** Elise murmured to her, in her right ear.

"**It takes one to know one I guess…"** Katherine answered her.

"**Mm…"** Elise mumbled to her, with a devilish glare in her eyes**. "…So, did you sleep with him yet? I guess he had to reward you for something for the new clothes you have on your back." **She added to Katherine, while taking a sip of her glass.

Katherine stumbled hard at her remark. She hated feeling powerless.

"**And what is he giving you in exchange of your sexual favour – Mrs. Elise?"** Katherine asked her, while putting emphasis on her name.

Elise looked at her with madness in her eyes, before taking a walking step toward Katherine, purposely twisting her ankle, to loose her balance, before throwing her glass of punch on the white corset top of Katherine, making the employees stopped their present conversations, before watching the scene.

"**Oh …I'm beyond sorry…"** Elise exclaimed, adding. **"..I tripped, it is an unfortunate incident…I could send you a check to replace your clothes if you want to?"**

Katherine raised her sight on Elise, before throwing her glass on the grass.

Elizabeth, the maid in chief, walked rapidly toward Charles standing position.

"**Mister Charles, they are going to fight, you should do something…"** She said to him, worrying about the outcome.

"**They are? Mm…Interesting…"** He responded to her. "**Who wants to make money bet on the winner?" **He added loudly to the crowd beside him,before being answered by loud voices, and hands throwing dollars at him.

Katherine pushed Elise toward the mud puddle; she lost her balance before entering profoundly her Gucci shoes heels in the mud.

"**Oh…these are thousand dollars shoes!"** She exclaimed, before grabbing Katherine left arm and throwing her with a big push in the mud with her.

Katherine fall her upper body first in the mud, but she rose in no time on her feet again, she had the advantage to be bare foot in it. She grabbed Elise by the hair, before throwing her with her vampire speed head first in the mud, hearing a loud clapping audience, behind her.

"**What in hell is going on in here?"** Charles heard a loud voice asking.

"**Master Elijah…"** Charles responded to him, while hiding the bet money behind his back. **"…I couldn't say actually; they seemed to have a sort of argument, I believe!"**

"**Well, help me separate them, for God sake, Charles!"** Elijah ordered him to do, while taking off his blazer, shoes and socks before walking toward Katherine and Elise.

"**Which one do you want me to handle?"** Charles asked him, while following him.

'**Take care of Elise; send her with a maid inside the Manor to take a shower!"** He ordered Charles to do, before entering his feet in the mud, reaching to pull Katherine by the waist away from her cat fight with Elise.

"**Are you finished?"** Elijah asked her, while dragging away Katherine, who was screaming and kicking her feet.

"**Let me go!"** Katherine screamed from the top of her lungs, while trying to punch him in the face.

"**Katerina, for God sake…"** He screamed back at her, while holding both of her arms in a firm grip with his hands.

"**She attacked me!"** Elise screamed at Elijah, while Charles was reaching her standing position in the mud to calm her down.

"**Charles, take care of Elise…"** He asked him to do, before throwing Katherine's body across his right shoulders.

"**Yes Master Elijah."** Charles replied to him, watching them leave toward the stable, with a speechless watching crowd around them. "Finally…" thought Charles, with a big smile on his face that is what he wanted to see happening.

"**What is he taking her and not me?" **Elise screamed in a pure state or anger.

"**I couldn't say Mrs. Elise, he probably want you to be pampered after this awful all deal…"** Charles responded to her, while trying to hold his laughter, and bringing her with him to Elizabeth who was waiting for them, in her standing position on the grass.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Let me go!"<strong> Katherine screamed at him, while hitting his back with her fists.

Elijah entered the stable before dropping Katherine body on a haystack.

"**Oh!"** Katherine mumbled to him, while raising herself on her two feet, with as much angers inside of her, that she could ever have, and both of her hands on her waist. **"Don't treat me that way! I'm not your property!"**

"**What in hell, happen back there?" **He asked her, with the same copy paste posture in front of her, his hands on his waist, and an angry stare in his eyes.

"**That lovely bitch of yours attacked me first…I just defended myself!"** Katherine replied to him.

"**You defended yourself, by rolling in the mud with her, tearing her clothes off, and pulling her hair…and disrespecting me in front of my employees, what where you thinking, Katerina?"** Elijah asked her.

"**She has thrown her glass of punch purposely on me…I saw her…She basically ruined my outfit…"** Katherine replied to him.

"**Now…If you were accepting my proposition, you would have enough clothes to ruin the ones you are wearing now…"** He said to her, while locking his eyes with hers, creating a moment of staring and silent between them, before turning around to leave her.

"**Here we go again…"** Katherine started saying to him, adding. **"…That bitch attacked me. And look at me now, I'm all dirty and I stink… But you will take her side, and you will act like a coward …What is it Elijah, she is not able to satisfy you at night? You want me to pleasure you very quickly by rolling in the hay with you just now? That is what you want, no?" **

Elijah stopped his walk, before closing his fists and his eyes, and counting to ten to calm him down, before lowering his sight on a garden water hose that was on the floor. He smiled, lowered his upper body and picked it up, while turning to face her.

"**You are right, Katerina…"** Elijah started, adding. **"…you look dirty, let me help you with that!"** He added before opening the hose garden and sprinkled her with cold water.

She screamed from the top of her lungs, while trying to run away from him, but every corner that she was trying to hide in the stable, he was following her.

"**Feel refresh now?"** He asked her, while closing the water, with a big smile on his face.

"**I hate you!" **She screamed at him, while brushing her wet hair away from her face.

"**Well …You've hated me for hundreds of years already…nothing new, Katerina!" **He replied to her.

He dropped the water hose, before turning around and leaving her in the middle of the stable.

Katerina suddenly sat on the haystack, while taking her head in her hands, and starting to cry silently.

"**Chips?"** She heard a voice asking her. She raised her head to look at Charles, who was standing beside her with an open bag of chips in front of her eyes.

"**What Flavor?"** She asked him, while sweeping away the tears from her cheeks.

"**Salt and vinegar I believe…"** He replied to her.

"**My favourite…Thank you."** She replied to him, while taking a few from the bag, and eating them.

"**You made him mad at you…and you hurt him at the same time…"** Charles said to her, while taking a sitting place beside her.

"**I know…"** Katherine replied to him, while crunching the chips. **"..I hate her Charles…She is a doing everything to make my life miserable here…And I don't have the power to go against Elise, like I usually would…I have no choice!" **

"**But…That is where you are mistaken…You have a choice Miss Katherine…And you know it..." **Charles explained to her, adding. **"…But you are choosing to not take it…If you would play the same game that she's playing…I would bet my money on you, and not on her!" **

Katherine turned and looked at him.

"**I saw you, you know…"** Katherine told him. **"…make money bets with the others, while we were fighting…" **

"**Mm…" **Charles mumbled to her.** "…I was putting my money on you by the way…" **He added with a wink of an eye.

Katherine busted into laughter.

"**I promised to never bite, kill or turning you Charles…I have a soft spot for you now…You are growing on me, and that doesn't happen often!"** Katherine told him, with a smile on her face.

"**Well…I feel flattered…And I promise to never turn you into a frog…do we have a deal Miss Katherine?" **Charles asked her, while holding his hand to her. She took it in hers.

"**It's a deal!"** She answered to him, adding. **"…You are right…I'm losing my Katherine Perce's strength…Could you give something to Eli….Eh…Master Elijah tonight for me? I know it's your day off, but…."** She asked him.

Charles nodded her head as an approval gesture. She got up, and turned to look at him one last time.

"**I'll go take a shower and change my clothes…"** She said to him, with a big smirk on her lips, before leaving him.

Charles looked at her departure, before taking in one of his jeans pocket, one of his famous caramel candies.

"**Things are about to get more interesting…"** He said to himself, before closing his eyes, smiling and entering the candy in his mouth.

* * *

><p>Charles walked into the front porch of the Manor toward Elijah's sitting position. He reached him, and leaned his back on the railing, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.<p>

Elijah's was sitting, his gaze into the dark sky night in front of him, a bottle of whisky on his knees.

"**It's been a long time since I saw you with the need of having a hang over in the morning, Master…"** Charles said to him.

"**I did not start drinking yet…I'm just thinking about it."** Elijah answered him.

"**Mm…"** Charles mumbled to him, adding. **"…Wise decision then."**

"**Did you see the way she acted this afternoon…In front of my employees?" **Elijah busted into anger in front of Charles.

"**And which one of the ladies are we talking about?"** Charles asked with a mocking tone of voice.

Elijah turned his sight on Charles, with a mad glare in his eyes.

"**Don't start with me Charles…"** Elijah warned him, adding. **"…Katherine of course!** **She is far from the sweet innocent girl that I met hundreds years ago."**

"**I couldn't say…" **Charles responded to him.

"**But you have eyes Charles, you saw it! Which one started it?"** Elijah asked him.

"**It wouldn't be my place to answer that question…"** Charles answered him. **"…But, Miss Katherine doesn't seem the type to purposely overthrow a glass of punch on her, would you say?"** Charles added to him, while rising one of his eyebrows.

"**She's done worst…"** Elijah told him.

"**Perhaps…"** Charles added. **"…but, she had nothing to gain this time." **

Elijah raised his sight on Charles while nodding his head.

"**Then, why Elise would do that…We have an open relationship with no strings attach…It is out of character for her…"** Elijah said to Charles, while raising himself on his feet, and walking nervously back and forth in front of Charles.

"**You entered a new maid in the Manor that is both beautifully gorgeous and intelligent at the same time, and you are asking yourself why your, mm…Present love interest is jealous of that fact? Is it the real question?"** Charles mockingly asked him.

"**I did not think it would cause a problem…"** Elijah replied to him, while stopping his back and forth walk.

"**Mm…Well, apparently it did."** Charles answered him.

"**What am I going to do now?"** Elijah asked more himself than Charles, while putting both of his hands on his waist.

"**Well for now…Nothing…And putting this problem aside Master Elijah, it was a nice day for all the employees, they all enjoyed themselves…"** Charles told him.

"**I'm happy for that."** Elijah answered him.

Charles reached for a folded envelope in the back pocket of his jeans, before handing it to Elijah.

Elijah looked at Charles with an interrogation expression on his face, before opening the closed envelope, and reading the small sentence written on a small paper.

_**I accept your proposition. I am waiting for you in your bedroom. **_

_**Katherine.**_

Elijah smiled and blushed,

"**Not another bad news I hope?"** Charles asked him with a false serious expression on his face, holding his laughter inside, knowing perfectly well the intention of Mrs. Katherine behind this message.

"**No…"** Elijah answered him, while putting the paper back in the envelope and folding it in one of his back pants pocket. **"…I have to go now…have a nice evening Charles."**

"**You are leaving so fast, Master?"** Charles asked him, adding. **"I thought that perhaps we could enjoy a cigar together tonight…"** Charles mockingly asked to him.

"**Not tonight…I'm sorry Charles…"** Elijah replied to him, adding**. "…I have a last minute business to take care…"** He added to him, while nodding his head as a goodbye gesture, before leaving Charles and walking toward the front door.

"**Last minute business…"** Charles said out loud, adding. **"…That is what it is called these days…"** He added before bursting into laughter. **"One zero for you, Miss Katherine!"**

* * *

><p>Elijah entered his bedroom, closing the door behind him, before walking slowly toward his bed. A lying body under the sheet was the proof that Katerina was in fact waiting for him. The bedroom was almost in the dark, if it was not from the outside lamps of the manor, giving it a ray of light inside, and the addition of the curtains that had not been closed. He got rid of his clothes, by throwing them on the floor, approaching silently the empty side of the bed, wearing only his boxer.<p>

He raised the bed sheet, before taking himself a lying position beside her, sliding his body on her back. She was wearing one of the nightgowns that he had bought for her. He put his right arm around her waist, before slowly turning her body to make her look at him.

"**Katerina?"** He murmured to her, before realizing that she had fallen asleep in his bed.

He smiled at the pretty sight of this sleeping beauty resting on one of his pillow.

"**You were tired, aren't you?"** He whispered to her, before turning himself in a lying position, she automatically moved in her sleep, to reach him, putting her left arms around his waist, before letting her head fall on his left shoulders.

He let his sight wonder on the ceiling, with his left upper arm on his forehead, he could almost be sure that he was hearing his heart beat rising so fast in his chest, even if this was impossible. But, he couldn't let his damn emotions toward her taking the better of him! He couldn't fall for her a second time.

"**Now that you're mine Katerina…I hope you will learn to behave and obey me…"** He whispered to her, before kissing her forehead.

"**Mm…"** Katerina mumbled to him, in her semi state of sleep, adding before slowly going back to her dream**. "Never…"**

Elijah smile, while holding his urge to burst into laugher, making sure to not wake her up, before caressing her hair, and falling asleep himself, her head comfortably resting on his chest.

* * *

><p>Next chapter:<strong> "Morning, love!" <strong>

God! I am so in love with writing this story!

Always a joy to read your reviews and to PM you back after! :)

**Note**: I'm going back to one of my other stories now…so be patient for the next update on this one.


	5. Morning, love

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**- Lovely Vero -**

**SMALL RECAP – LAST CHAPTER**

Elijah entered his bedroom, closing the door behind him, before walking slowly toward his bed. A lying body under the sheet was the proof that Katerina was in fact waiting for him. The bedroom was almost in the dark, if it was not from the outside lamps of the manor, giving it a ray of light inside, and the addition of the curtains that had not been closed. He got rid of his clothes, by throwing them on the floor, approaching silently the empty side of the bed, wearing only his boxer.

He raised the bed sheet, before taking himself a lying position beside her, sliding his body on her back. She was wearing one of the nightgowns that he had bought for her. He put his right arm around her waist, before slowly turning her body to make her look at him.

"**Katerina?"** He murmured to her, before realizing that she had fallen asleep in his bed.

He smiled at the pretty sight of this sleeping beauty resting on one of his pillow.

"**You were tired, aren't you?"** He whispered to her, before turning himself in a lying position, she automatically moved in her sleep, to reach him, putting her left arms around his waist, before letting her head fall on his left shoulders.

He let his sight wonder on the ceiling, with his left upper arm on his forehead, he could almost be sure that he was hearing his heart beat rising so fast in his chest, even if this was impossible. But, he couldn't let his damn emotions toward her taking the better of him! He couldn't fall for her a second time.

"**Now that you're mine Katerina…I hope you will learn to behave and obey me…"** He whispered to her, before kissing her forehead.

"**Mm…"** Katerina mumbled to him, in her semi state of sleep, adding before slowly going back to her dream**. "Never…"**

Elijah smile, while holding his urge to burst into laugher, making sure to not wake her up, before caressing her hair, and falling asleep himself, her head comfortably resting on his chest.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

"**MORNING, LOVE!"**

She was even more beautiful than the image he had kept of her in his mind for the last hundreds of years. He smiled, his head elevated with his left forearm, on his pillow. It was day light now, probably a bit after six o'clock, and a ray of sunshine was entering the bedroom. Elijah was awake since a short while, he was watching Katherine sleeping beside him, her head turned in his direction, her beautiful long curly hair scattered on the pillow. She had slept the majority of the night in his arms without even noticing it, if so, she would have been completely outraged, and would have pushed him away, as stubborn and independent as she was, she would not have accepted this fact so easily!

She had pushed her bed sheet at her feet, and her see through white nightgown was not leaving much to his male imagination. He gently slide away from her face a strand of hair with a soft touch of a finger, before passing an almost unnoticeable caress with the back of his right hand on one of her cheek. She winced in her sleep and started to move, before stretching both of her arms in top of her head, and slowly open her eyes, to see Elijah stare at her, with a sarcastic smile on his face, and what seemed to be sparkles of desire in his eyes.

"**What time is it?"** She mumbled at him, half awake.

"**A little bit after six…" **He responded to her.

"**I'm sorry …Yesterday, I…. I fell asleep…"** She tried to explain to him.

"**No need to be…I liked having your arms around me all night…"** Elijah explained to her, with a big smirk of satisfaction on his lips.

"**You think too much of yourself Elijah, despite our little business arrangement…I know perfectly well that I could have never done that, sex is what we agreed on…not to cuddle all night!"** She madly replied to him, while turning her sight away from his, and hiding her blushed cheeks.

"**If it's better for you to erase it from your memory, Katerina…"** He responded to her, while caressing her hair and holding his growing need to burst into laughter.

She turned her head and body to the right to look at him straight in the eyes, her right hand under the pillow.

"**Were you watching me before, while I was sleeping?"** She asked him.

"**Yes…"** He answered to her, with a big smile on his face.

"**I think that there is not much too look at …"**She answered him, while suddenly playing with the fabric of her nightgown with her hands. Yesterday night, she was ready to take the plunge with him…She was ready to give sex for his return favours, but this morning, completely off guard, she was feeling nervous and extremely aware of his nearer proximity. And the way he devoured, with his eyes, each inch of her body was not helping her to relax. Usually, she was more than in control in this kind of sexual arrangement with men; she had made them all her vampire life, but Elijah always had to be different!

"**You are fishing for compliments, Katerina?"** Elijah asked her, adding. **"If there was not much to look at….You wouldn't be in my bed right now."** He explained to her, with fire of lust in his eyes. **"You seem nervous, is it me who's making you nervous?"** He questioned her, while caressing slowly with his right hand the curves of her left side body, her left breast, the hollow of her waist, before resting his hand comfortably on her hips, as a gesture that she was his property.

"He's doing this in purpose, to test me! But two can play this game Elijah!" Katherine thought.

"**You have morning bed hair!"** She exclaimed, with a smile on her lips, while passing a hand in his hair, making him look at her with surprise. "**They are scattered in every direction!" **She added with a small laugh.

"**Well, happy that this seems to amuse you…Why is this, such a surprise to you?" **Elijah asked her.

"**You're kidding, right?" **Katherine exclaimed, adding**. "Your hair is always so perfect that you could be a spoke person for L'Oreal commercial in television!" **She explained to him while trying to hold her laughter. "

"**Oh I see, you are making fun of me…Is it wise to play with me that way, Katerina?"** Elijah replied to her, while laughing itself.

"**I'm not making fun of you!"** She replied to him, falsely outraged. **"I was even thinking of asking you the kind of hair products you are using…and as for me being wise…I've done way more nasty things to you than telling you that you have beautiful hair, you did not kill me when I bleached your underwear…You won't kill me now!"** She added to him, with a devious smile on her lips.

"**True…."** Elijah replied to her, while suddenly approaching his body close to hers, and his mouth at a near inch of her left ear, creating a shiver of goosepumbs all over her body. **"…Now, stop stealing time with light conversation, Katerina, You know perfectly well that we'll be together in the biblical sense of the word, sooner or later!" **Elijah finished murmuring into her ear, before turning his head to look at her in the eyes, with a sarcastic smile on his lips.

"**I'm not stealing time!" **She responded to him, with a pout expression on her face.** "…I have one word, Elijah…I accepted your proposition...and I…"** Katherine mumbled to him, trying to get a grip on her nerves. **"…I just thought that you were not a morning person!"** She added to him, being the only stupid respond that came to her mind, feeling so nervous with his bare chest at a near inch of distance of her body.

Elijah busted into loud laughter, while taking his place back to his own pillow, lowering the nerves of Katherine, having his body near hers was her greatest weakness at the moment, she was not even able to think when he was at proximity.

"**Ah…This is priceless Katerina…You've giving me the best entertainment that I've could have paid for!"** Elijah said to her.

Katherine shrugged her shoulders while holding her pout expression on her face, without looking at him, her sight straight in front of her, lost in the emptiness of the bedroom. Nice of that jerk, of reminding her that he was paying her for her sexual services!

"**If seeing me this way, completely powerless makes you laugh!"** She answered to him.

"**You think that you are powerless against me? That will never happen Katerina, you are way too resourceful for that!"** He answered her, with a big smile on his face.

She turned her sight to look at him, before smiling and bursting into laughter.

"**Katerina…"** He called her.

"**Mm…"** She murmured to him.

"**I never forced a woman before, I am not about to change…Obviously, you are feeling uncomfortable with the thought of being intimate with me today, I'll wait…"** Elijah said to her, while caressing with his right hand one of her cheek.

Katherine looked at him, surprised and speechless beyond believe!

"**Why are you so kind to me?"** She whispered to him.

Elijah shrugged his shoulders, before adding.

"**Why not…I feel like being nice to you today…"**

He locked his eyes with hers; she could feel an intense fire reach her cheeks. How can this even be possible, Katherine Pierce blushing like a teenager? Another kind of intense fire was reaching the lower part of her body, and that specific fire between her legs was a constant reminder that even if she was protesting too much and hated him at the same time, she wanted him now, more than anything in a long time in her pathetic vampire life!

She reached and took his right hand in hers, before sliding its palm on the silkiness of her nightgown, to let it rest a second later on the roundness of her left breast.

"**I want you…Now…"** She murmured to him. **"…if you want also?"** She added in a shallow whisper.

He lowered his head in the hallow of her left shoulder, while putting sweet kisses on the tender part of her skin, intensifying his lips on her skin, devouring each inch of her neck, before frantically opening the silk ribbons that were keeping her nightgown closed, liberating her breasts to his sight, sliding both of his hands on their roundness in a mix of grabbing and caressing, while stoking their hard nipples with his fingers, before swallowing entirely in his mouth the brown aureole of her left breast.

Katherine closed her eyes, curved her back, elevated her pelvis, as a secret erotic demand for him to soothe the growing need of feeling him inside her, while sliding one her left hand on his naked back, grabbing firmly his dark hair with her right hand, before pushing his head in nearer proximity of her breasts. She was shaking like a leaf from head to toes! Never a man before Elijah made her completely loose all her senses, and feel so powerless.

"**Elijah…."** She murmured with her head that was rolling on her pillow from right to left.

"…**You're so beautiful …"** He murmur to her, while stroking her hard sensitive nipples with the tip of his tongue, sliding both of his hands from each side of her waist, toward her hips, before grabbing her bottom to elevate her body toward him, putting her pelvis in direct contact with the hard bulge under his boxer, making her mumble incoherent sounds of pleasure.

He took each side of the front open nightgown, before tearing the fabric open on her entire body, leaving her speechless and her mouth open with astonishment, while lying beneath him.

"**You completely tore this gorgeous nightgown in pieces…"** She exclaimed to him.

"**I'll buy you a new one…"** He whispered to her, before pulling the torn fabric away from her body, letting the nightgown drop on the bedroom floor, lowering his head on her stomach in a mix of licking with the tip of his tongue, and kissing her skin, while both of his hands were grabbing each side of her panties, making her panties slide on her legs, dropping them a minute later on the floor, near the torn nightgown, kissing the tender inside of her thighs, when he suddenly stopped his movement, raising his head to look at her.

"**Katerina…What's wrong? You're shaking!"** He whispered to her, raising his upper body on one of his forearm, while passing a quick nervous hand through his hair to try to calm himself down. **"..I told you before, I would never force myself on you, if you want me to stop, just tell me? I won't be mad at you."** He suggested to her.

Katherine opened her eyes in shock, while lowering his sight on him.

"**What? No! Why do you think that?"** She replied to him.

He looked at her in the eyes, while sliding his hands on each side of her belly, putting his palm on her skin to show her something.

"**You shake like a leaf Katerina, I can feel it through your all body! I won't force myself on you…If you are that much afraid of me, or if you can bear the thought of me touching you." **He explained to her, while pushing himself away from her body.

Oh God! She thought how much she would love being able to hate him with every fibber of her being right now! But, he was acting like a respectful man, with decency and sweetness toward her. She did not expect this from him, or being so infatuated by him, and desiring him so damn much! She couldn't even remember the last man who had the decency to take into consideration her feelings, and respect them? Not that she ever respected any of them in return. She didn't know how to react? What to say to him? She only knew that she wanted him so much, because it was the first time she ever felted like this!

"**No…I…You don't understand…It's…"** Katherine mumbled incoherently to him, while blushing intensively.

"**What? Explain to me, Katerina?" **He asked her.

Passing an agreement with one of the man she hated all of her life, for ruining her human life, to obtain something in return was bearable to her…but admitting to that same man that she wanted him for him, was taking the best of her at this moment…How in hell did she managed to put herself into this situation, that was beyond her understanding! She lowered her head back on the pillow, while closing her eyes.

"**Katerina…"** He asked her, once again.

"**I'm shaking that way, not because I'm afraid of you…Or that I don't want you to touch me…"** She started explaining to him, pausing. **"…It's because of the opposite…" **She added to him, before pausing again.** "…You…You make me shiver because I want you so much…and…need desperately to feel your hands on my body!" **She finished explaining to him, while keeping her eyes closed.

Elijah looked at her with surprise, and the biggest smile appeared on his lips a short moment after her admission.

"**Katerina…"** He called her again.

"**Mm…"** She whispered to him.

"**You can trust me…I won't hurt you in any way, ok?"** He replied to her.

"**Ok…"** She whispered back to him.

"**Just relax, love…"** He murmured to her.

He repositioned his head between her thighs, while pushing her knees, and opening her legs, before slowly sliding his mouth from the inside of her thighs to her feminine center, while gently caressing her hips to relax her. She grabbed the bedspread with both of her hands, before feeling his mouth reaching her wet folds, slowly parting her private lips with the tip of his tongue, tasting her feminine nectar with the most delightful pleasure, entering his tongue profoundly in her to taste her, even more. She raised her pelvis to be in a nearer proximity of his mouth, but he gently pushed it back on the mattress, before gently swallowing her clit in his mouth, making her gasp and turning her head from right to left on her pillow, while biting her lips. He gently strike the tip of his tongue on her swelling clit, slowly entering two fingers in her wet walls, before circling a sensible spot with his fingers tips.

"Damn it!" She thought in a mix of anger toward herself and pleasure toward him; he was the best lover she ever had! His sexual dexterity was putting her in pure agony of wanting him even more inside of her. No wonder Elise was fighting so hard to keep him, she bizarrely thought at that moment.

"**Elijah…"** She murmured to him, in a prayer.

Elijah raised his head to look at her.

"**Tell me…"** He whispered to her.

"**You know…"** She replied to him, in sexual agony.

He look at her one more time, before rising on his feet, and sliding his boxer on his legs, letting his erected hard member free of his clothing restriction. Since the day she had witnessed him pleasuring himself in the shower, her secret hiding desire, had always been to feel him inside of her one day!

He got back on the bed, before sliding himself between her legs, raising himself with both of his arms on each side of her body. She automatically put her hands on his body, while caressing his soft and muscular chest skin. She was longing to kiss him so much…to taste his mouth, but she knew better! She knew that this for him was only a sexual encounter, nothing much, nothing less! He didn't want any relationship with her, and she didn't want any relationship with him! It was only an agreement between two consenting individuals, she tried to convince herself.

He took his cock in his hand, before directing his head at the entrance of her walls. Then, he lowered his head near her right ear.

"**Katerina, if I hurt you…or you feel uncomfortable in any ways, tell me."**

She nodded her head to him. She understood what he meant; he was bigger in size than the average man. She closed her eyes when she felt him stretching the entrance of her walls, and very slowly entering her, with soft in and out movements.

He finally reached paradise! Elijah thought, while sliding himself inside of her, she was so tight, and wrapping its member with such softness that if he had not been already dead, he would have die in her. It's her, who finally pushed her pelvis upward, to fully enter his all length inside of her, before wrapping her legs around his waist.

She had never felt so sexually fulfil before, every space of her feminine center was full of him. He slowly increased his speed in her, while caressing her hair and looking at her in the eyes.

"**You're ok?"** He asked her.

"**Yes!"** She whispered back to him, with a smile on her lips.

He lowered hid head, before kissing passionately the left side of her neck; she grabbed his hair with both of her hands, before letting her hands sliding on his muscular back, gently scratching his skin with her fingers nails.

"**Go faster…You won't break me…"** She whispered to him.

Surprised, he raised his head to look at her, sliding himself out of her walls, before pushing its member farther in her, in an insane in a out increased movement, making them both crashed in each other arms, at the almost same time.

They were gasping and sweating. Elijah gently pulled himself out of her, before lying beside her, on his pillow, with an arm on his forehead. Never in his entire human and vampire life has he felted so sexually connected to a woman. He turned to look at her; she had turned her body on the side, showing her back at him.

Katherine was feeling completely lost inside of her! And she hated this…She never felt so connected to a man before…with the only problem, that she hated Elijah all her life! But, she preferred to stop these bad thoughts away of her mind, she was feeling too good at the present moment to let these thoughts crash her!

Elijah approached Katherine lying position on the bed, putting his head on her pillow, while sliding his body in a spooning position with her body, passing one of his arms around her waist, while elevating the other one on the pillow. She grabbed his hand that was resting on her waist, before interlacing her fingers with his. He smiled, when she was letting down her guards, she could be the sweetest thing, making him remember the young human girl that she was in the past, when he had fallen for her.

"**Katerina…"** He called her, in a murmur.

"**Mm…"** She mumbled to him, her eyes closed.

"**You are cuddling with me…"** He sarcastically whispered in her right ear.

"**Shut up!"** She replied to him in laughter, before hearing him burst into laughter with her.

Five minutes later, they were falling asleep in each other arms again, while the Manor was waking up.

* * *

><p>Elijah opened his eyes, someone was knocking on his bedroom door, he rapidly look at the alarm clock on his bedside table, seeing nine o'clock flashing in front of his eyes, before hearing Charles calling him through the other side of the wooden door.<p>

"**Master Elijah, You asked for the limousine to be park in front of the Manor, precisely at nine thirty this morning..." **

"**Oh shit!" **Elijah exclaimed, while pushing Katherine in her sleep. "**Katerina, wake up!"**

"**What…"** She mumbled to him, in a semi state of sleep.

"**We fell asleep, and Charles is at the door…"** He whispered to her, while rapidly getting up on his feet.

"**What?"** She exclaimed, fully awake this time, before jumping out of the bed. **"I'll hide in the bathroom!"** She said to him, while rapidly walking toward the bathroom door.

"**Katerina…"**He called her.

Katherine turned to look at him, before catching in her hands, the torn nightgown and her panties, that he was throwing at her.

"**Thank you!"** She murmured to him, before rapidly entering the bathroom.

Elijah turned and took a last glimpse at the bedroom, before taking in his hand the IPod who was on his man dresser, when he suddenly realized that Katherine's uniform and shoes were on an arm chair, at the opposite side of the bedroom. It was too late; he heard a last knock on the door, before seeing the door open.

"**Master Elijah…It is Charles?"** Charles said, while entering the bedroom with fresh body towels on his left arm, before stopping with astonishment on his face, and wide open eyes, while looking at Elijah's position near his man dresser. **"What are you doing?" **Charles asked him.

Elijah was doing push ups, keeping his balance with both of his hands placed on his man dresser.

"**Oh, it is you Charles, good morning!"** Elijah replied to him, as a greeting, while getting rid of the IPod ears, adding. **"..I did not hear you, I was listening to music, and I'm exercising actually…"**

Charles reached Elijah standing position near the bed.

"**You are exercising, naked, Master Elijah?" **Charles asked him, while putting a hand on his chin, covering his mouth to hide his laughter.

Elijah lowered his sight on his body, only to realize a second later, that in all the rush to hide Katherine, he had forgotten to put back his boxer! "Damn!" He thought, what would he think to say now? He reached to pick up his boxer on the bedroom floor, before sliding them upward on his legs.

"**Sorry!"** Elijah responded to Charles, while blushing. **"Actually, I was supposed to take a shower…and then I suddenly had the urge to do push ups!"** He explained to a speechless Charles who was standing in front of him.

Katherine was listening to the conversation through the bathroom door, with a hand on her mouth, to hold her laughter.

"**My bad for entering in your bedroom in such a …." **Charles said to him, while continuing his sentence.** "…bad moment, Master Elijah…** **Let me just drop these towels in the bathroom, and get out of your way, to let you have your privacy." **

Katherine turned and frantically look everywhere in the bathroom, to find a hiding place, but nothing came to her mind! The bathroom was spacious and modern, with glass walls for the shower, not even a closed cabinet where she could hide. She desperately look at her torn nightgown in her hands, she could not even dress with that to save the day! If only she had her uniform with her…Her uniform! Oh God! She thought, the said uniform was on the arm chair in the bedroom!

"**No!"** She heard Elijah screaming to Charles. **"No need to bother you with the towels, when I'm going in that direction myself! I'll take a quick shower, and I will be heading out after…" **Elijah frantically explained to him, while taking the towels from Charles's hands.

"**It was no bother, Master Elijah…"** Charles answered him, while still looking at him with an astonishment expression on his face.

"**Ok, so I'll go take my shower now…"** Elijah said to Charles, while gently pushing him out of the bedroom.

Charles started walking toward the bedroom door, while very quickly noticing the maid uniform on the arm chair, without Elijah's knowledge of it. He smiled! Everything was clearer now!

"**I will tell your personal driver to wait for you…"** Charles said to him, while turning to look at him a last time, and adding. **"…I'm concerned I did not see Miss Katherine this morning, she is already late for her shift." **

Elijah froze, before rapidly saying:

"**I don't think you should be concern, she is probably somewhere in the Manor, or she took a walk this morning…" **

"**Mm…."** Charles mumbled in his teeth, with a sarcastic smile on his face, adding. **"Perhaps, I wish you a nice day, Master Elijah!"**

"**Have a nice day too, Charles!" **Elijah answered him, while closing the bedroom door behind him, before putting both of his hands on his eyes, and stroking his face after to erase this awkward incident.

The bathroom door opened, and Katherine rushed toward her maid uniform to put it on her.

"**That was close…"** She said to Elijah, while blushing, and avoiding to look at him in the eyes. That man had a way to make her feel like a sixteen years old teenager! **"I have to go…I'm already late!"** She added to him, while closing the buttons of her uniform, before directing her walk toward the bedroom door.

"**Katerina…"** He called her. She turned, her right hand on the door handle, and looked at him in the eyes.

"**I passed a great time with you…"** He said to her.

She nodded her head, while giving him a small smile.

"**So, how does it work now? I wait for a note form you to come in your bedroom?"** She sarcastically asked him.

Elijah smiled, before simply adding:

"**You'll know…" **

"**Don't think that I will not wait for my rewards from you…Two days out of work by week! It was a deal…and clothes…and a day by month at a spa!" **She said to him.

"**The day at a spa was not in the initial deal!"** He replied to her, with amusement.

"**Well…I just added it!"** She replied to him, before opening the door, and stopping her movement one last time. **"It was nice for me too…"** She murmured to Elijah, before, leaving the room, leaving him smiling in front of the closed door.

* * *

><p>Later in the day, Katherine who was searching frantically to find Charles finally found him in the laundry room. The butler in chief was giving some information and orders to a new hired young maid, Katherine entered the room, and pulled the arm fabric of his butler uniform.<p>

"**Charles …"** She whispered to him in his left ear.

Charles turned his sight to look at her, while taking a glimpse on her hands placed on his arms.

"**Miss Katherine, what give you the idea that you could interrupt me in** **my present conversation with the new hired maid?"** Charles asked her.

"**I have to talk to you…"** Katherine asked him.

"**And I am not available now, it will have to wait!"** Charles responded to her.

"**Go and take a break!"** Katherine said to the new maid, while nodding her head to the girl.

The said new maid blushed and stayed at her standing place, with no eager desire of being fired in her first day on the job.

"**Miss Katherine we'll talk later!"** Charles ordered her. "**Where were we?"** Charles asked the young maid in front of him. **"Yes…So you have to iron the …"**

"**It's an emergency…"** Katherine whispered to him again, by cutting him in his conversation a second time.

Charles closed his eyes, before re-opening them.

"**What kind of emergency, Miss Katherine?"** He asked her.

"**Well…"** Katherine started explaining, adding. "…**A woman emergency!"**

Charles took a big breathe, taking a basket full of kitchen linen, before putting it in the hands of the new young maid.

"**Beatrice, Take these linen to the kitchen, they have been washed, and therefore you can put them in the wooden dresser near the counter."** Charles explained to the new maid. "**I will continue the training, when the **_**woman emergency**_** of Miss Katherine will be deal with…"** He added to Beatrice, while putting emphasis to the emergency term.

The young woman made a reverence before leaving the room. Charles crossed both of his arms on his chest, before looking Katherine in the eyes.

"**What is this woman emergency that needs to be taking care of at this present moment?"** He asked her.

She suddenly made him follow her, by grabbing Charles's forearm, before directing their walk into one of the Manor's corridors, stopping in front of a wall mirror.

"**Ok…"** She started explaining to him, looking at herself in the mirror, with a speechless Charles at her side. **"Look at my lips…I always thought that I had beautiful, lustrous, plumping lips, don't you think?" **She asked him, while touching with the tips of her right hand fingers, her bottom lip.

Elizabeth, the maid in chief, who was passing by their standing position in the corridor, at the same exact moment that Katherine was asking her question to Charles, looked at him with wide open eyes, while Charles shrugged his shoulders in disbeliefs to Elizabeth, before seeing her shrugging her own shoulders and continuing her walk.

"**Charles?"** Katherine called him, a second time.

"**Miss Katherine, this is not my area of expertise, I can assure you…" **He responded to her, while taking a few silent walking steps to move slowly away from her.

"**Oh Charles, please don't go, stay…"** She asked him, adding. **"…You are a man, aren't you**?"

"**Last time I check, Miss Katherine, I believe I was…"** Charles said to her.

"**Then, look at me! If you were a man, would you be tempted to kiss me?"** She asked him.

Charles lifted one of his eyebrows. Now, let regroup our thoughts, he was beyond certain that Miss Katherine was in Master Elijah's bedroom this morning. What was going on now? For once, he was completely lost in their lover quarrels…but he would find a way to understand this for sure!

"**This is not really my place to say that kind of thing to a young lady…"** Charles tactfully replied to her.

"**I have hundreds years of ages, I'm not a young lady…So, your excuse is not working with me…Please, answer me…I never been so insecure in my entire human and vampire life combined together."** Katherine explained to him.

"**Well…If I was a young man, Miss Katherine, and I would respectfully courtship you, I'll say that these lips would be lips that I would kiss with great pleasure."** Charles responded to her, with both of his hands, crossed behind his back, before nodding his head.

"**Thank you!"** She responded to him, while blushing.

"**Now…Can I go back to my butler daily tasks?"** He asked sarcastically to her. "**Don't you have a dinner to prepare with the cook in the kitchen?"** Charles asked, while walking with her at his side toward the back of the Manor, where the kitchen was located.

"**Yes!"** Katherine answered him, with a smile on her lips.

"**Now, what was this all insecurity about, Miss Katherine?"** Charles asked her, trying to find what was the enigma behind this little scene he just had witness?

Katherine blushed again, while lowering her head to look at her feet.

"**Women are like that sometimes Charles, a bit insecure, I guess…"** She said to him, while covering the real reason.

"**You don't strike me as an insecure woman, Miss Katherine, on the contrary…"** Charles added to her, while pushing the kitchen door to make her pass in front of him.

"**Sometimes, I am…"** She simply responded to him.

They suddenly stood still in front of the gardener, Gardie, who was giving some new vegetables to the chef for the next meal. Beatrice, the new maid, was putting the linen in the wooden cabinet, like asked earlier by Charles, and the cook was already preparing the diner.

"**Miss Katherine…"** The young man greeted her, while blushing and nodding his head, rapidly taking his sun hat away from his head. **"How are you this fine day?" **

"**I'm good, Gardie, how are you?" **Katherine asked the young man.

"**I'm always a happy man, when I see you!"** He responded to her, with Charles observing the exchange between the two, while standing beside them with a big sarcastic smile on his lips. **"I was wondering if you would be free this week-end for a picnic, on your day off, of course, Miss Katherine,"** He asked her, very shyly.

Katherine turned his sight on Charles, while opening her eyes wide as a warning to him, to not laugh at this poor man, seeing Charles raising one of his eyebrows, while putting a hand on his mouth, to hold his laugher.

"**Oh Gardie…It is so nice of you to ask me…but unfortunately, this week-end, I'm working extra hours."** She replied to him, while elbowing Charles in the ribs, asking him silently by this gesture, to help her.

"**Yes!"** Charles said suddenly to Gardie, adding. **"Miss Katherine was helpful enough to add an extra day to her schedule to wash the stables this week-end."**

Katherine opened widely her mouth, before staring madly at Charles. He sarcastically smiled back at her.

"**But isn't it a man job to do that?"** Gardie asked Charles.

"**Miss Katherine loves horses; she has a real passion for them, she said that it would be a pleasure for her to clean the stable!"** Charles answered back to him.

"**Well, perhaps another time for the picnic then, Miss Katherine."** The gardener man said to her, approaching his head of her right cheek, and leaving a chaste kiss on it, before turning and going back to his gardener tasks, outside the Manor.

Katherine turned to look at Charles, with both of her hands on her waist.

"**I will not clean the horses stable!"** She exclaimed to him, with anger in her eyes.

"**But, Miss Katherine, we just made a silent pact just now, I was agreeing to keep silent your despicable manipulations toward this poor man's heart, who would obviously, be more than happy to consider kissing your troubled lips, and you were agreeing of helping an extra day in the manor!"** He said to her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, with a satisfy smile on his face.

"**If I hadn't already agreed to spare your life, I would kill you right this minute."** She exploded in front of him, adding. **"I was helping this poor man's heart of not falling for me!" **

"**Indeed, how noble of you!" **Charles added to her, while watching her angrily turn away from him, and reaching the other side of the kitchen, to clean the vegetables for diner.

Charles left the room in laughter, before directing his walk toward his own private quarter. One thing was certain; he thought while smiling, Master Elijah would be more than happy to learn that Miss Katherine had an admirer in the Manor, other than him of course!

* * *

><p>Elijah was smoking his Cuban cigar, sitting on the ramp of the porch, with one leg on the floor to hold his balance, while looking at the moon in front of him. When he heard Charles foot steps approaching him, Elijah turn his sight and smiled at him.<p>

"**Just received a new box of Cuban cigar, take one…"** He suggested to Charles.

"**I won't say no tonight, Master Elijah…"** Charles replied to him, while taking one in his hand, cutting the tip, and lighting it a second later, before taking a comfortable sitting place on an outdoor chair, near Elijah.

"**Hard day at work…"** Elijah asked him.

"**Not more than usual…I think I'm just getting old…"** Charles replied to Elijah, with a smile.

"**You…No, never…."** Elijah said to him, in a mocking tone of voice.

"**You seem in a good mood today Master, it must be the extra hour of sleep and exercises this morning, I suppose?"** Charles added to him, while trying to hide the smirk on his lips.

"**I don't know…It is just a good day, I guess…"** Elijah responded to him, while smiling and taking another puff of his cigar, looking at the moon with this amorous look in his eyes.

Charles started thinking, with a smile on his face. "You are, once again, re-falling hard for Miss Katherine! I'm ashamed of myself, but I will have to burst your happy bubble, to make you realize that the lady is feeling insecure about your ways toward her!"

"**Did you receive any new news regarding your family whereabouts?"** Charles asked him, very seriously.

"**No, but I found someone that could lead me to more information, for the right amount of money compensation, of course…" **Elijah replied to Charles. **"In three weeks, Charles, you'll have to organized a big banquet in the Manor…I'll invite allies, and a mix of well respected political individuals of London. It's a short notice, but you think you could pull it out?"**

"**The staffs are now at full capacity, three weeks should be enough to organize it." **Charles answered him.

"**Perfect!"** Elijah replied, while nodding his head to him, before turning his sight at him again, noticing that Charles was staring at him. "**What is it Charles?"**

"**Sorry Master?" **Charles asked him.

"**You are staring at me?" **Elijah said to him.

"**Oh! Indeed, my apologies Master Elijah…actually I was not staring directly at you for say, but more at your hair!" **Charles explained to him with an amazed look on his face.

Elijah passed a nervous hand on the top of his hair.

"**My hair…"** Elijah replied to him, adding. **"And what is wrong with my hair?"**

"**They are all over the place, Master Elijah! I believe the young crowd these days are calling that: texture punk hair!"** Charles continued explaining to him.

"**You don't like it?"** Elijah asked him, while re-passing a hand in his hair. **"I think it's nice and different!" **

Charles opened his eyes widely, while putting a hand in front of his mouth to hold his growing laughter. Master Elijah liked it? Or was it Miss Katherine?

"**It is certainly different Master Elijah…But, it suits you well!"** Charles replied while taking a puff of his cigar. **"Thinking about it…this Banquet will give a chance for the new staff to get into things quickly in the Manor, especially Miss Katherine, who, I'm sure will be thrilled to participate!"**

Elijah raised an eyebrow, asking:

"**Elise will be present with her husband; you think it would be wise to put Miss Katherine as the helping staff that night?" **

"**If you don't put her on the list, she will find a way to sneak in to see the event!" **Charles responded to him.

"**You got a good point my friend!" **Elijah responded to him, with laughter in his voice.

"**I will put Miss Katherine in the Kitchen for help, she'll be busy, and won't have time to be in the main dining room to cause…how may I put it, entertainment!" **Charles added to him.

"**Thinking on your feet Charles, like always…"** Elijah replied to him, while getting up on both feet and walking toward a near outdoor table, before pouring himself a glass of Brandy. **"Can I serve you a glass, Charles?"**

"**Thank you!"** Charles replied to him, while nodding his head, adding. **"Miss Katherine is not as bad as it looks actually, she's like a breath of fresh air in this Manor…And this afternoon, the sweetest thing happened in the kitchen!" **

"**You don't say?" **Elijah replied to him, with the biggest smile on his face. Since this morning he could have not let Katherine out of his mind. She was all that he was thinking every second, and the fact that Charles was willing to talk about her, was exactly what he needed at this present moment. **"What did she do now?" **

"**Oh nothing despicable, do not worry…It was the sweetest thing actually….You remember Gardie, the gardener…" **Charles asked him.

"**Yes, of course I do…"** Elijah replied to his friend and head butler, before handing Charles his glass of Brandy, and sitting on a chair near him.

Charles took a sip of alcohol before continuing his pre-rehearse story.

"**Well…apparently, the young man is having a crush on our Miss Katherine…"** Charles said to Elijah.

Elijah who was putting his glass to his mouth, stopped his gesture, and stare at Charles.

"**What do you mean a crush?"** Elijah asked him, while loosing his smile.

"**Oh! Nothing serious Master Elijah…A little bit of flirting, don't think that they are being none respectful, fooling around in Manor…No, not at all...Gardie, just asked Miss Katherine to go on a picnic with him, this week-end." **Charles continued explaining to a now very serious Elijah.

"**And she declined, I suppose?"** Elijah asked Charles.

"**I don't recall actually what she said…."** Charles answered him, while putting a finger on his mouth, as a wondering gesture.

"**It shouldn't be difficult to remember, she declined or she said yes?"** Elijah nervously asked him again.

"The fish is biting the bait!" Charles thought.

"**I believe she declined…Yes, she did, she exchanged schedule to clean the stable this week-end with the employee who usually do it…a need to be with horses, she said to me…"** Charles answered Elijah.

"**Perfect! I don't want my staff flirting around in the Manor's corridors…"** Elijah replied to him, while taking a big gulp of his glass.

"**Of course not, Master Elijah…It would be so awful to catch a maid in one of the bedroom of the Manor with masculine company having none appropriate behaviour!" **Charles replied to him, while trying to not burst into laughter.

"**Yes it would!"** Elijah replied to him, while blushing slightly and looking at Charles with suspicion in his eyes, while putting his glass on his lips again.

"**But you can rest assure, Master Elijah, that it was completely armless. She declined politely, and he kissed her, end of the story!"** Charles finished explaining to him.

"**He kissed her?"** Elijah asked him. **"..How this happened?"**

"**Oh, he kissed her very chastely of course!"** Charles answered him.

"**No…I mean, where did he kissed her?"** Elijah asked him with an anticipation tone in his voice.

"**Oh…I believe…"** Charles answered him, while taking his time to find the answer, making Elijah rose up on his feet, walking back and forth in front of him. **"It was on the lips…Yes, a very quick kiss on the lips! It was actually adorable…I would be beyond happy if Miss Katherine find a male friend in the Manor! And after all, she confessed to me that she hadn't been kiss on the lips for so long, and was missing it! It was truly adorable!"**

"**Are you out of your mind Charles…" **Elijah angrily exclaimed to him, both of his hands on his waist, adding. "…**She will eat him for lunch! He's human!"**

"**Well…She has been on her best behaviour these last few days…I don't think that a masculine companionship would be a problem, it would give her some ground in her life." **Charles explained to Elijah, while trying to hold his urge to smile, watching a jealous Elijah pacing back and forth in front of him.

"**On her good behaviour these last few days?"** Elijah repeated angrily to Charles, adding. **"She threw Elise in the mud yesterday!"**

"**Well, technically, we don't know the story behind Miss Katherine and Mrs Elise, previous argument…so we have to give the benefit of the doubt to both parties, Master Elijah" **Charles added to him.** "I'm beyond sorry, if I had known that this little romantic encounter between two employees would upset you that much, I would have refrain myself of sharing this with you…From now on, I will forbid any contact between the helping staff in the working hours."**

Elijah stopped his walking in front of Charles, before closing his eyes and passing a nervous hand on his hair.

"**No…It's me Charles…I'm sorry, I am on edge, do as you wish…"** Elijah started explaining to him, while nodding his head, and adding. **"I wish you a good night; I'll go sleep early tonight, resting will do me good!"** He added before directing his walk toward the front entrance.

"**Have a good night, Master…" **Charles said to him.

Charles raised his glass to his mouth.

"**But…I don't think you'll sleep very well!"** He sarcastically murmured, smiling and toasting himself, before savouring the last gulp of his Brandy.

* * *

><p>Next chapter:<strong> "A horse ride, a picnic, and a kiss." <strong>

Big thanks for all your reviews support on this story! You are awesome!


	6. A horse ride, a picnic, and a kiss

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**- Lovely Vero –**

**Chapter 6**

"**A HORSE RIDE, A PICNIC, AND A KISS"**

Katherine entered the stables, with a bucket of water, a broom, a mop, different eco friendly cleaning products in her hands, and a basket of fruits that she had stolen from the kitchen. She was wearing a pair of jeans, and black tight t-shirt, with a deep v-line. She dropped her cleaning products at her feet, while looking at the stables with an angry expression on her face, and both of her hands on her waist.

"**How much I would love to put my hands on your throat, just now Charles!"** She exclaimed, while lowering her upper body, to pick up her cleaning stuff on the floor.

It has been four days already since her last encounter with Elijah the morning that Charles had barged in his bedroom, since then she did not heard from him, or received any "requests" from his part. She started to clean the inside walls of the stables, with anger, before stopping her hand movement and think…Elijah tasted the water with her, and now apparently he wasn't in need of her sexual services or did not appreciate the experience? She should have been ecstatic with the fact that he decided to not have sex with her, she wouldn't have to force herself to sleep with a man that she despite more than anything in the world, but for a strange reason, she felt rejected! The day after they slept together, he had replaced her torn nightgown. She had found a box on her bed with the same exact nightgown, but, without a note on a card this time…She guessed it was unnecessary to him.

She passed a hand on her forehead, trying to erase all her present thoughts, and decided to continue her tasks in hands, putting fresh hay in the stables, greeted the horses with some apples, while caressing and talking to them…Enjoying every minute, and not seeing the time passing… She remembered how much she used to love riding when she was a human young girl, so long ago…She finally entered one last stable, and was speechless in front of a breath taking animal, the horse was from an Arabic breed, obviously, and its dark black robe was lustrous and magnificent.

"**Hello gorgeous!"** Katherine called it, while caressing its robe. "**You are a beauty; you know…It takes one to know one…" **She added out loud, with a sarcastic tone in her voice, while turning to pick up something on the floor, seeing the horse taking an apple in the basket that she had dropped on the floor. **"Hey!"** She said. **"I did not say that you could take one!" **

The horse did not listen to her, and did what it wanted to do, eat its apple! Before, lowering its nose on her back and gently bitting her bottom.

"**What in hell?'' **Katherine exclaimed, before laughing.** "You are a playful one, I can see! Like me!"** She added, with a smile.

"**I see that you have met Rosemary, Miss Katherine?"** She heard Charles say to her. He had entered the stables silently and was looking at them, with a smile.

"**Oh…Your name is Rosemary!" **She whispered to the horse.

"**She's a female?"** Katherine said to Charles, more as an affirmation than anything else.

Charles nodded his head.

"**Master Elijah paid a real fortune for that horse….And like you were saying; she has a real strong temper and can be really stubborn sometimes!"** He said to her, with a smile on his face. **"And she usually don't give her trust so easily…You must be special, Miss Katherine!"**

"**She probably knows that we are both from the same breed…." **Katherine answered to Charles, while caressing the horse head. **"Aren't you?" **She said to Rosemary.

"**Well…you did an amazing job with the cleaning in here, Miss Katherine…" **Charles said to Katherine, while looking around him.

"**Thank you…I just finished with her stable…"** She replied while continuing to caress the horse.

"**You love horses, aren't you?"** Charles asked her.

"**Back in the days…When I was a human young girl, I used to go riding all the time…I guess you never really forget what used to make you happy."** She replied to Charles, with a sad tone in her voice.

Charles looked at her, shook his head in indecision, and finally said to her:

"**Why don't you take Rosemary for a ride?" **

Katherine suddenly turned her sight to look at Charles, with sparkles of joy in her eyes.

"**Can I?"** She asked Charles, like a little girl who just woke up at Christmas morning, loosing her smile a second later. **"No, I can't…"** She mumbled in his teeth. **"He has forbidden me to leave the Manor…"** She answered Charles, with a sad expression on her face.

"**He?"** Charles asked her, crossing his arms in front of his chest, before realizing **"Oh…Master Elijah…Mm, well I think that he forbid you to leave the estate only…The Manor has acres and acres of land…So technically you wouldn't leave the estate." **

"**But…I don't have any riding boots…" **Katherine responded to Charles, while slowly getting her smile back.

Charles left her sight, to come back a minute later with a pair of leather riding boots for woman in his hands.

"**They are not new and had seen better days…And maybe a bit bigger than your size…But I think that they will fit you!"** He said, while handing her the boots.

Katherine walked the distance between her and Charles before throwing herself in his arms.

"**Oh thank you!"** She whispered to him, before pushing herself slowly away from Charles, and blushing. **"I'm sorry…"** She said while taking the boots away from his hands.

"**No need to be, Miss Katherine…"** He answered her, emotional as she was. There was still humanity in her, the young human girl was still in her somewhere, and it needed only love and trust to get out once in a while.

She took the boots and put them on…Before turning on herself to look at her feet.

"**They are perfect!"** She exclaimed, before taking in her hands a small blanket, putting it on Rosemary's back, followed by the saddle, which she attached solidly after.

Charles was already regretting his decision, if Master Elijah learned that Katherine had left with Rosemary, you could say that he was as good as dead! But luck was on his side today; Master Elijah had left the estate for a last minute meeting in town. Katherine took Rosemary by the bridle, and they both got out of the stable.

"**Come on girl…You and me, we'll go for a ride!"** Katherine told the horse.

Charles was waiting for them outside, arms crossed on his chest, with a big smile on his face. Katherine passed beside him with Rosemary bridle in hands, and took the opportunity to kiss his left cheek.

"**Thank you..."** She said to him, making him blush.

"**Now come back in maximum one hour…I just put my life on the line for you, Miss Katherine…"** Charles explained to her.

"**I know...And I will!"** She answered to him, adding. **"…Oh I forgot the cleaning stuff inside, maybe I should take the time…"** She started explained.

"**Go…"** Charles said, gesturing a goodbye with his right hand. **"I'll take care of it for you…I owe you one, it was suppose to be your day off today, Miss Katherine."** He added, while smiling sarcastically to her. **"If you go south, there is a small lake on the estate, at ten minutes of ride from here; you should find it very easily!"**

"**You certainly owe me this one, Charles" **Katherine responded, while addressing him a wink of an eye. **"I'll be back soon…" **

"**I count on that, Miss Katherine, I don't look forward of having my head cut off from the rest of my body…" **Charles added to her.

Katherine busted into laughter, putting her right foot in the stirrup, pushing herself in a sitting position on the horse, before taking the bridle in her hands.

"**He would never do that to you Charles…See you soon!" **She said to him.** "Hey!"** She then screamed at Rosemary, gently hitting the horse's sides with the back of her boots, galloping a second later in direction of the lake.

"**Now I pray God that she'll come back!"** Charles said to himself out loud, before re-entering the stables.

* * *

><p>Charles was picking up the cleaning products that Katherine had left in one of the stable, when he heard steps behind him; he lifted his upper body in a standing position before turning and almost jumping out of his skin at the sight of Elijah who was standing behind him, a smile on his face, and both of his hands on his waist, dressed with a jean, a dark blue t-shirt and his riding boots.<p>

"**Oh! Master Elijah…You scared me!"** Charles exclaimed, while putting his right hand on the left side of his chest.

"**I'm sorry Charles; it was not intended…"** Elijah replied to him, while approaching his chief butler standing position.

"**Aren't you supposed to be in town to take care of some important business, Master?"** He asked him.

"**The appointment was postponed until tomorrow…"** Elijah replied to him, while looking at Charles more attentively. **"What are you doing?"**

"**Mm…." **Charles mumbled in his teeth.

"**Charles! What are you doing?"** Elijah repeated a second time to him.

"**Well…I'm…"** Charles started explaining.

"**You are?"** Elijah asked him.

"**I take time to pick up the cleaning products, Master Elijah…"** Charles responded to Elijah, while lowering his upper body to pick up the water bucket.

"And I try to keep my head solidly attach to the rest of my body at the same time!" Charles though, in desperation of finding a way to get out of this awkward situation he was in right now.

"**Where is Katerina? Didn't you mention to me that she asked to wash the stable this week-end?"** Elijah asked him, raising one of his eyebrows.

"**Who…"** Charles asked him, while swallowing the rest of his pride.

"**K-a-t-h-e-r-i-n-e…Your favourite of all…"** Elijah answered him, while mocking him, crossing his arms on his chest, and lowering his head near Charles's.

"**Oh…Miss Katherine; she is ..." **Charles said, before coughing a couple of times.** "…Indispose at the present moment…"** He finished replying to Elijah.

"**What do you mean she is indisposed? What did she do now?" **Elijah asked Charles, suddenly worrying about her.

"**Nothing, Master…She was feeling a little bit sad…Memories resurging from the past…from when she used to horse back riding as a human girl…"** Charles explained to him, while trying to safe some times to get out of this hole he was putting himself into. **"I told her to take a break…"**

"**She…"** Elijah replied to him, in lost of words suddenly, adding. **"She was nostalgic or something…are you sure we are talking about Katerina?"**

"**Absolutely Master Elijah, you doubt that she could be nostalgic or having any kind of feelings inside of her?" **Charles mockingly asked him.

"**I doubt a lot of things about her at the moment, Charles…"** Elijah answered him, while turning and directing his walk toward Rosemary stable.

"**Eh…Master Elijah…"** Charles screamed at him, while letting fall the water bucket on the floor, and walking rapidly toward Elijah to stop him on his track. **"What are you doing? Can I prepare you tea?"**

Elijah turned and looked at Charles with puzzlement on his face.

"**Tea, why would I want tea now…"** Elijah asked him.

"**Well…It's almost …"** Charles looked at his watch, before coughing. **"…Ten thirty in the morning, and I thought that I could make you a cup of tea to help you relax." **Charles added to Elijah.

Elijah turned and looked at Charles with a worrying expression on his face.

"**Relaxing for what? What aren't you telling me, Charles?" **Elijah asked him, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Charles shook his head from right to left.

"**Me? Nothing, Master Elijah…" **Charles responded to him, while rubbing his hands nervously together.** "…What are you doing right now?" **

"**I was thinking of going for a ride with Rosemary, Charles …If I have your permission of course…" **Elijah asked him, in mocking tone of voice, before opening the stable wooden door, finding himself standing and starring at an empty space a second later.

"**About that Master Elijah…"** Charles responded to him, while closing one of his eyes, and keeping the other one open, in expectation of Elijah soon outburst of anger.

Elijah turned and looked at him, with both of his hands on his waist

"**Where is Rosemary?"** Elijah asked Charles.

"**Well…There is absolutely no need to get upset over this Master…Rosemary is fine…Your horse went for a ride…."** Charles tried to explain to him.

"**With whom?" ** Elijah asked him, with even more anger in his voice. **"Charles?"**

Charles lowered his head, while looking at his feet.

"**Just tell me that you are joking right now?"** Elijah added to him, while finally realizing that Katherine had left for a ride with his own horse. **"You got to be kidding me! Are you loosing your mind?" **Elijah added to him, passing a nervous hand on his hair, while pacing back and forth.** "When did she leave?" **

"**Fifteen minutes ago…She'll be back, Master Elijah." **Charles responded to him.

"**No she won't be back!" **Elijah screamed at him. **"What were you thinking Charles? She was waiting for this opportunity to get out and escape…" **Elijah added while walking rapidly toward another horse stable.

"**I beg the difference, Master Elijah…Miss Katherine won't escape, and she'll come back, if you would only give her a chance…"** Charles added to him.

"**No she won't, she is probably long gone by now…."** Elijah responded to Charles, while rapidly finishing preparing another horse for a ride.

"**She is still on the estate; believe me, Master Elijah…"** Charles repeated to him. **"She gave me her word that she would come back…"**

"**Then you are a crazy fool, Charles, for believing in her…"** Elijah responded to him.

"**And with all my respect, Master Elijah, you are a crazy fool for not believing in Miss Katherine in return!"** Charles said to him.

Elijah stopped, and looked at Charles, nodding his head in disbelief.

"**She practically wrapped you around her little finger, isn't it right, Charles… She has a way of manipulating people that you would even not believe or grasp…I know…She did it to me once, and I still did not forget about it…She is stubborn, reckless, selfish, she is thinking about herself, and herself only…I can't believe that you were so stupid as believing that she would come back…What in hell did she tell you to make you believe in her that way?" **Elijah explained and asked Charles.

"**And yet again, you brought her here to be at your services, in your own home…" **Charles answered him.

Elijah raised his head in surprise. Since he knew Charles, it was the first time that he was witnessing his friend and chief butler, butting heads with him.

"**My reasons for bringing her in England are mine, Charles…"** Elijah answered him.

"**I'm not debating that, Master Elijah, if you thought this of me, my deepest apologies…I'm debating the fact that you are sending mix signals to that girl!" **Charles replied to him.

Elijah turned to look at Charles with amazement on his face.

"**In which way, am I sending mix signals to that girl, Charles? Please, in light me of your knowledge"** Elijah asked him, while crossing his arms on his chest.

"**She has not way of knowing what she is really? You are keeping her prisoner, yet she is not in a cell like she was with your brother, she can move around, yet not too far, she can't have a salary like the other employees, yet in her private time, she is wearing new brand clothes…She can't entertain the idea of a new personal relationship, because you are forbidding her to have one…Do I have to continue, Master Elijah?"** Charles asked him, with a mocking tone in his voice, adding. **"If you want to be mad, be mad at me…It's me who suggested to her to take a ride….Nothing, she said, absolutely nothing as forced my hand to do this, Master Elijah, and as much as I respect you, she did not try to wrap me around her little finger this time, that is why I believed in her…She simply smiled, and looked happy, and to answer your question, the reason I believe that she will come back is because she is starting to feel that all of this, the Manor, including me, the employees, and even you, is now her home! For the lack of it that she had the last hundreds of years, because of your brother!"** Charles replied to Elijah.

Elijah stared at Charles with an angry expression on his face, before lowering his head, not willing to give Charles the total approval of his saying to him, but not willing to go against it entirely either!

Charles took two steps toward Elijah's standing position before closing his eyes, standing very straight in front of him with both of his arms on each side of his body, adding:

"**Please be gentle, Master…Rip my head off from my body as rapidly and with less pain as possible!" **

Elijah stroked his eyelids with his right hand, before smiling at Charles's sight in front of him, and bursting into laughter a second later.

"**Charles…for God sake…Open your eyes, a little dramatic don't you think?"** Elijah said to him.

Charles opened one eye, followed by the other, before smiling himself, and watching Elijah take his sitting position on Blacky's back, one of the other horses.

"**How did Rosemary react with her?**" Elijah asked him, while getting out of the stables, with Charles walking beside them.

"**Like it was you, Master Elijah…"** Charles explained to Elijah.

"**Ok…In the slim chance that she did not escape the estate yet, which direction did you see her take?"** Elijah asked Charles.

"**I told her to go toward the small lake…" **Charles answered him, before raising his head to look at the sky. **"It's going to rain…" **

"**Indeed, it is going to rain …" **Elijah replied to Charles, hitting the side of the horse with the back his boots, before galloping toward the lake.

Charles looked at Elijah's and Blaky's departure, before entering in the stables once again, to pick up the cleaning products and bucket left behind.

"**These two…"** He whispered to himself, while nodding his head, and putting his hands on each side of his waist. **"… They will give me more grey hair in no time!"**

* * *

><p>Katherine approached the lake, and got down of Rosemary's back, while putting her two feet of the ground.<p>

"**Did you see this, girl?"** She asked the horse, while caressing her head and looking at the lake, adding. **"It's beautiful, isn't it? You want to drink? You are thirsty? Come…"** She said to Rosemary, bringing her near the lake to drink, before sitting on a big stone, getting rid of her riding boots and socks, rolling her jeans up on her knees, and dropping her feet in the lake.

"**Oh this is heaven…"** She whispered to herself, while letting the sun touch her face, with the warm of its rays. She felt free and alive, like she hasn't felt for so many centuries, even if it was for a short moment, she would enjoy it. Then again, she thought, while opening her eyes wide open, why not take the opportunity of having a horse in hands and simply escape the estate and Elijah, now! No…She couldn't! She promised Charles that she would come back…and she will! She would escape later on…And he would not be mixed in it….She closed her eyes again, and enjoyed herself by listening the sound of the birds, Rosemary who was drinking her water in the lake, the wind in the trees. She raised her head a bit more, and suddenly felt a drop of rain on her nose. She opened her eyes, and looked at the sky, before rising on her two feet, putting back her riding boots, and taking Rosemary with her.

"**Come on girl, it's raining, but it's not a thunderstorm…Don't be scare…We'll be able to have a shelter under the big tree there…"** Katherine slowly explained to the nervous horse, while caressing its head and directing her walk toward the big tree. One minute later, it was pouring rain on them…but the tree branches were so furnished, that they were able to be protected from the rain.

"**You got to be kidding me?"** Katherine exclaimed, while noticing a dark figure rider coming under the rain toward hers and Rosemary's position under the tree. **"No, no, no…let this be somebody else than him, please…" **

Rosemary shook her head at Katherine, as an approval of her saying.

Elijah finally reached Katherine and Rosemary's position under the tree. He got down of his horse, his clothes completely soaking wet on him, while passing a nervous hand on his wet hair and face….His wet t-shirt was glued on his muscular chest…Without a doubt the most sexy sight of him she ever witness to date….Not that this was helping her relax much…she was shaking like a leaf just looking at his mad sight directed at her at the present moment. Katherine took a few steps backward, leaning her back on the tree base, with both of her hands grabbing the bark. He was not talking! To any stranger he would have seemed calm…but this calm was a cover up, and she knew it, he was fuming inside of him! And this attitude he was showing right now could only mean troubles for her later.

He approached her standing position, while pulling the bridle of his own horse that was following him behind, before taking from Katherine's hands Rosemary's bridle, the horse shook its head again, as a welcoming gesture toward him, and a small smile appeared on his face when he caressed its head.

"**Come…."** He ordered both of the horses to follow him, before attaching the bridles to a near branch tree, walking back to her standing position a few seconds later, before putting both of his hands on each side of her face, while lowering his body and face at a near inch of her. She jumped out of her body out of fear, but most of all out of desire for him, it has been four long days without seeing him, and feeling his body near hers, she hated to admit it to herself, but she was longing to feel his body near hers again.

"**Which part of not leaving the Manor did you not understood, Katerina?"** He asked her.

**"I'm still on the acres of your estate…"** She nervously mumbled in her teeth. **"If I wanted to leave…I would be long gone by now, and you know it…" **She added to him, while raising her chin up.

He raised his right hand near her face, and turned a strand of her hair around his fingers, creating shiver in her body form head to toes.

"**I could easily decide to put you in a locked up cell to keep my sight on you from now on, what do you think? Maybe then, you would listen to me…and start to obey me more…."** He asked her, while caressing her right cheeks.

She was shaking her head from right to left.

"**Don't …please…."** Katerina whispered to him.

"**I love when you are begging me…I think you'll do a lot more of that in a near future…There is a lot of things that your little head did not grasp yet…"** He said calmly to her, making her realize that she was in more danger than what his calm appearance would make believe.

"**I'm sorry…I…I should have stayed in the Manor like you told me…don't take it on Charles, it is not his fault…"** She mumbled to him, almost incoherently.

"**I'm sorry, Master…"** Elijah asked her to repeat, while staring at her in the eyes.

She suddenly closed her fists in anger. She hated him with every fibber of her being…His only pleasure now seemed to be torturing her with no end. She turned her head to the left to avoid looking at him in the eyes.

"**Yes, Master…I'm sorry…"** She mumbled so low, that only the fact that he was a vampire made him hear her sentence. **"Just as you know …I'm not kneeling so low for your pretty eyes…I'm doing it for Charles!"**

Elijah smiled while sliding his body nearer hers, making her shiver by the contact of his wet t-shirt and muscular chest on her breasts.

"**Well, that is a first for you Katerina…Thinking about someone else than your precious self! Don't worry about Charles…I took care of him…"** He whispered in her right ear, sliding both of his hands from her waist, to her bottom, while grabbing it firmly.

"**What you mean you took care of him?"** She asked him, with stupefaction on her face, while raising her voice.

"**Well…You know, Katerina…What I usually do, to get rid of someone..."** He explained to her in a whisper, with a sarcastic and devious smile on his face.

"**You are bluffing! You would never touch a single hair on Charles's head!" **She screamed at him in anger.

"**How do you know what I would, or wouldn't do?" **He asked her, adding.** "Am I not after all your worst nightmare, Katerina…A monster without any soul that was hunting you for hundred and hundred of years? The same monster that you agreed willingly to give your beautiful body too, if I may add…." **

Katherine pushed him away with her vampire strength by taking him by surprise, before walking a few steps afar from him, crossing her arms in front of her chest, while looking angrily at the rain that was falling down.

"**You mean the deal that you backed out of it…"** She angrily replied to him, adding. **"…and leaving me with nothing at the end of our agreement!" **But, she hated herself a second later for saying it…Closing her eyes in anticipation of his answer.

Elijah raised one of his eyebrows in surprise, while smiling at her angry sight…He walked toward her, sliding firmly both of his hands around her waist, bringing her once again in full contact with his body, while murmuring in her right ear.

"**Well…well…Katerina…Don't tell me that you are longing for me to touch you again? You missed me that much sweetheart? If you needed to have sex with me again, all that you had to do is ask me, you know?" **He mockingly said to her.

"**No!"** She screamed to him, while trying to get rid of his hands on her, twisting and turning, **"…Let go of me…"** She begged him to do, when she finally realized that he would not let go.

"**Why? You love being in my arms…"** Elijah said to her**. "I can feel every shivers on your arm just with a simple touch of my fingers….You want me to show you?" **He whispered to her, while still holding her with his other arm around her waist, and slowly passing the back of his right hand in a slow caress on the length of her right arm, creating goosepumbs all over her skin.

"**You are enjoying this, aren't you?"** Katherine mumbled in her teeth to him in anger.

"**Immensely…"** Elijah responded to her, with a small laughter, before sliding his lips on the right side of her neck, kissing the tender part of her skin.

"**Well I'm not!"** Katherine replied to him, still moving her body to get away from him.

"**Stop moving for nothing Katerina, you're acting like a childish woman!" **Elijah said to her, while holding her in place, and sliding one of his hands under her t-shirt.

"**Elijah…Please…"** Katherine begged him in a whisper, closing her eyes, and lowering her head on his chest, feeling his hand caressing her belly, before sliding upward on her breasts, caressing them through the lace of her bra.

"**So…"** Elijah murmured to her, while gently biting the lobe of her right ear. **"…Is Charles the only reason that you did not escape, or is it also the fact that you know that no other man after me will ever be able to satisfy you sexually like I do?"**

"**I already told you, you are thinking too much of yourself, Elijah!" **Katherine mumbled in her teeth, while trying to not give in to him, taking his hands away from under her t-shirt, while being surprised to being let free of his embrace a second later. She turned and looked at him.

"**Oh it's true…"** Elijah replied to her, with a sarcastic expression on his face. **"…I heard that you have a new human boy toy to play with now…" **

"**What?" **She asked him, while having no idea what he was talking about.

"**My gardener….Apparently, he is having a thing for you…And you've been seen kissing with him…You did not loose any time, Katerina…"** Elijah explained to her, while crossing his arms on his chest, and staring at her with a smirk on his lips.

"**I don't know what you are talking about…Gardie is a nice guy…We just exchanged a few courteous words to each other…If you don't want me to talk to him, just say it, and I won't…"** She replied to him, while lowering her head to look at her feet.

Elijah took her chin in his right hand while raising her head to make her look at him.

"**See how cooperative you can be when you want to be, Katerina…Lets make something clear, I am your Master, you are my possession now, therefore you are not belonging to anybody but me…I don't share my women with other men…Am I clear?" **Elijah asked her.

She nodded her head in approval, while biting her tongue to not answering him, and trying to keep her calm.

"**As for our agreement, it is still on…I am not a man that goes back on his words…but, it is me who decide the **_**"when and where"**_**, you are at my services, not the other way around…Am I clear, Katerina?" **

"**Yes…" **She whispered to him.

He raised one of his eyebrows while staring at her. She closed her fists in anger, when she understood his silent request.

"**Yes, Master…"** She whispered to him, once again.

"**As for your little escapades away from the Manor…Without my permission it is forbidden, am I clear Katerina?" **

"**Crystal clear…"** Katerina mumbled in her teeth.

"**Crystal clear…"** Elijah repeated to her, while waiting.

"**Crystal clear, Master…"** She repeated to him, detaching every syllable of her sentence.

"**Now that wasn't so bad…Wasn't it, Katerina?"** He asked her, while slapping very gently her left cheek with his right hand. **"Now, bring your bottom over here…"** He ordered her, while taking from the branch tree, the bridles of the horses in his hands. **"…It stopped raining…and I have other things to do in my days, then running after you." **

"**Gizz…and me who thought that bogging me all day was your first priority…" **She mumbled in her teeth in a slow, almost non perceivable whisper.

"**What was that?"** Elijah asked her.

"**Nothing…"** She answered him, taking from his hands the bridle of Rosemary. **"…Master!"** She added to him, while making a reverence.

"Oh…You want to play that way Katerina…Let's the fun begin stubborn woman!" He thought while smiling and watching her taking place on his horse.

"**What?"** She asked him, adding. **"I thought** **you were in a hurry…it's not being here staring at me that will make you go faster…" **

Elijah took his position on Blaky's back, while making him trot away from under the tree.

"**Oh…My bad, Katerina…I forgot something…"** He told her, making Blacky stop while turning his upper body to look at her sitting position on Rosemary's back. **"Never take my horse away from me again, especially to go riding…"**

"**Your horse…They are all yours…."** Katerina stopped talking, closed her eyes, before reopening them, the minute she realized what he was meaning. **"I didn't know I swear that Rosemary was your personal horse…"**

"**What can I say, I like female that I can trained to order me…"** He replied to her with a devious smile on his face. **"Back Rosemary…"** He ordered his horse to do.

Rosemary suddenly made slow backward steps in direction of the river.

"**What…What are you asking her to do?"** Katherine screamed at Elijah, while trying to make Rosemary stop, but without any luck.

"**To her …nothing…back girl! Back…"** He continued ordering the horse to do.

Katherine turned to see the river bank behind her, Rosemary continuing to enter slowly the water.

"**What are you doing?"** She screamed at Elijah, adding in despair. **"Make her stop!" **

"**Up…"** Elijah ordered his horse to do, ignoring Katherine lamentations, making Rosemary neigh, before rising on its back legs, dropping Katherine in a big splash in the water, and Elijah bursting into loud laughter a second later, before calling his horse to come to him. **"Come …" **He ordered Rosemary, before seeing the horse approached his and Blacky's position, and taking the bridle in his hands.

"**Is the water good Katerina?"**

Katherine was splashing her arms around, while standing in the water a second later, passing her hands on her face and hair to get rid of the water.

"**I hate you!"** She screamed at him, while trying to get out of the water, but loosing her balance with her slippery boots, and falling yet again in the water, making him laugh even more.

"**Now, stop acting like a spoil child, it doesn't suit you well beautiful…I thought it was only fair that you'll be as wet as I was, after the fact that I had to ride under pouring rain to find you here…Take that as a lesson of never going against my will again…Katerina!" **He explained to her.

She finally reached the river bank,

"**I should have stayed locked up in the dungeon of your brother!"** She screamed at him.

"**Yap…You should have, but you choose differently, didn't you?"** He mockingly responded to her. "**You'll walk to go back to the Manor, which will clear your mind, and teach you a lesson at the same time!" **

"**What? You bastard…" **She exclaimed**. **

"**I've been called worst…" **He responded to her.

"**I'll escape…I swear I will!" **She screamed back.

"**You'll do nothing of the sort…You'll come back to check on Charles! And by the way, I want you to clean the wall of the garage this afternoon…It's been long over due!" **He responded to her, before hitting his horse's sides.** "Hey…" **He screamed to both horses, before galloping toward the Manor, leaving a more than angry Katherine behind him.

* * *

><p>Charles was nervously pacing back and forth in front of the stables since more than an hour, his sight glued on the South horizon in desperation of seeing from afar two riders coming toward the Manor stables. When he finally saw what he was waiting for, he breathed from sight of relief, before being speechless in front of a single one, Elijah, coming from his ride alone, with the two horses.<p>

Elijah arrived in front of Charles. He got down on his two feet, before handing to Charles, the horses bridles.

"**Charles, you are white as a ghost!"** Elijah mockingly said to his long time friend and chief butler, before gently putting a friendly hand on his left shoulder.

"**Happy to see you back, Master Elijah."** Charles greeted him, while nodding his head, adding. **"If you don't mind me asking you, where is Miss Katherine?" **

"**I believe, she decided to take a bath, and walk back to the Manor after."** Elijah explained to him, with a mocking tone in his voice, and a sarcastic smile on his face, leaving a speechless Charles in front of him. **"And you were right my dear friend…"** Elijah added to him. **"She'll come back! Otherwise, She would be missing this place too much…I give to her what she was lacking for some many centuries…" **He added to him, with a blink of an eye.

"**And what is that, Master?"** Charles asked him, still in shock.

"**Fire, Charles…Fire in her body and soul!"** He responded to Charles, before bursting into laughter and walking toward the Manor entrance**. "I'll go change clothes…and I will take your offer for tea afterward, if you don't mind me asking…and by the way I order her to clean the garage walls at her return, make sure that she does it!"**

"**Certainly Master Elijah…" **Charlesanswered him, while nodding his head, and watching him walk away, before entering in the stables to find a blanket to cover Katherine wet clothes at her return, before going back at his previous standing position in front of the stables. **"God help us all with these two!" **Charles mumbled in his teeth, with a big smile on his face, while crossing his arms with the blanket in front on his chest, before turning back his sight into the horizon to wait for Katherine, exactly like Elijah knew now, he also knew that she would be back!

* * *

><p>Katherine was scrubbing the garage walls with all the anger that she got in her! She was still wondering why she did not took the golden opportunity that she had on her hands this morning to ran away from this place, and farther away from Elijah! She knew that he would not have hurt Charles…She picked up that fact very early in the game, the hidden friendship between the two men, Elijah was not a man to have on his side none trusty people, Charles was a good ally and a friend to him, and she knew that…So why did she came back exactly?<p>

She stopped her scrubbing for a while, passing the back of her right forearm on her forehead. She probably came back to make sure that Charles wouldn't be punished for her own stupid move. Unfortunately for her, at the moment, it was the only logical explanation that she would like to believe.

She heard steps behind her, and suddenly turned to look at the intruder, who was standing under the open garage door.

"**Good afternoon Miss Katherine!"** Gardie greeted her.

"**Gardie…"** Katherine said with surprise, adding. **"What are you doing here; I thought it was your day off?"**

"**Well…It is Miss Katherine…I just thought that maybe you could take a little break and enjoy strawberries and cream with me?" **He asked her, while opening a small picnic basket to show her its content.

"**Oh Gardie…"** Katherine whispered to him, before getting rid of her rubber gloves, and putting her hands on her waist. **"I have to work today…You knew that…And I don't think it is a good …." **

"**But, Miss Katherine, you are entitled to a break…and I thought we could take that break on the bench in the garden…It is a lovely summer day, today." **Gardie insisted to tell her.

Katherine walked toward his standing position, passing her head out of the garage door, while looking right and left in a suspicious way.

"**Did you see anybody in your way over here?"** Katherine asked him.

"**No, Miss Katherine, and if you mean the big boss, I think he is not around!"** He responded to her, with a smile on his face.

"**Ok! This could work then…"** Katherine answered him, with a smile on her face, and adding. **"…I love strawberries…But not more than fifteen minutes Gardie, I have to come back to work after!"**

The gardener nodded his head while smiling at Katherine. They walked in direction of the garden in silence, before taking a sitting place on the bench.

He opened the picnic basket, and took from inside a plate full of strawberries, before handing it to Katherine.

"**Thank you!"** She said to him, before taking one, and sliding the red fruit between her lips, in her mouth. **"Mm….It's very good!"**

"**I'm happy that you like it, Miss Katherine…" **Gardie responded to her, with a big smile on his face, while taking the cream bowl in his hands and pass it to her also.

* * *

><p>Charles was finishing the training with one of the new maid in the kitchen, while discussing and preparing the weekly diner schedule with the cook, when he noticed Elizabeth, the maid in chief in front of one of the kitchen window, her arms crossed in front of her chest, with a big smile on her face.<p>

"**Now what is making you giggle that way, my dear?"** He asked her.

"**Oh Mister Charles, I am looking at Gardie and Miss Katherine in the garden…they are so cute together, I think he brought a picnic basket with him to share with her…"** She replied to him, while making a gesture with her hand to Charles, to show him to come nearer and to take a look.

It took less than a second for Charles to reach Elizabeth standing position and pushing the lace curtains to look through the window.

"**Mister Charles, you look worried…And white as a ghost… Is there a problem?"** Elizabeth asked him.

"**She has a suicidal wish in her bones…that is for sure!" **He mumbled in his teeth, more to himself, than the person standing beside him**, **addressing himself to Elizabeth a second after. **"No…Not yet, my dear Elizabeth if I can help it…"** He answered her, while nodding his head in disbelief. **"Elizabeth, listen to me…Master Elijah is suppose to come in the kitchen in a couple of minutes to discuss the menu for the banquet in two weeks…when he will arrive in the Kitchen, please, stole some time with him…"** Charles asked of her, while walking rapidly toward the back kitchen door, before opening it.

"**But…Mister Charles…How am I supposing to hold him back? He will ask me where you are, and a full of questions."** Elizabeth asked Charles, while nervously rubbing her hands together

"**Just hold him a few minutes in the kitchen…Just be yourself Elizabeth…be charming!"** Charles added to her, before closing the door, and walking toward Katherine and Gardie's sitting position at the far end of the garden.

"**Oh…"** Elizabeth whispered, adding. "**He's asking me the impossible!"**

* * *

><p>"<strong>Another Strawberry, Miss Katherine?" <strong>Gardie asked her.

"**No thank you…" **Katherine answered him, with a gesture of her hand, and a small on her face.** "Gardie…I…This was nice of you, and I really appreciate…but…" **

"**But, I know…I'm not stupid…" **Gardie responded to her, while cutting her talking sentence.** "…I understand…I wouldn't push this on you Miss Katherine…You are not interested in me, aren't you?" **He added while lowering his head.

"**Oh Gardie…"** Katherine answered him, while putting her left hand on his right shoulder. **"…You are such a sweet respectful man…And if certain conditions were different, it would be a pleasure for me to be courtship by you…" **

Charles was approaching their sitting position, when he started hearing their conversation.

"**Is there another man, Miss Katherine?"** Gardie asked her.

Katherine took a second to think, this young man was the sweetest think ever…and she needed to find a way to gently letting him down, while assuring herself of not having Elijah breathing on her neck for talking to Gardie.

"**Yes, there is another man…"** She answered him.

"**Are you in love with him, Miss Katherine?" **Gardie asked her.

Now, how was she supposed to answer a love question, when love had always been an eternal combat in her own vampire life….She needed to think of someone and quickly to make this plausible to that poor sweet innocent human boy! And the only man that was in her mind right now was unfortunately Elijah!

"**I find him intriguing…Charming, dashing…"** She answered Gardie.

Charles had stopped at a near twenty feet of distance of their sitting position, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and a smile on his face, while listening to Katherine's answers.

"**Are you attracted to him? Is he making you happy?" **Gardie asked her more.

"**I…" **Katherine started answering to him, while blushing, adding.** "…I'm draw to him...He's unique…and he's bringing a sort of fire inside of me."**

"**I can see that you have found real passion, Miss Katherine, and you are so beautiful and sweet that you deserve it…" **Gardie responded to her.

"**Thank you, you'll find your own happiness also soon enough Gardie, I'm confident of that!"** Katherine answered him.

Gardie nodded his head to , while blushing and bending his head a second later to kiss her left cheek. Katherine raised her head only to loose all colour in her cheeks, noticing Elijah staring at them at a near distance of them, with Charles placed a couple of feet, upfront of Elijah's standing postion, she instinctively rise on her feet in front of them.

"**Master Elijah…"** Charles started mumbling to him in surprise, after realizing that he was standing behind him.

"**Charles, go back in the kitchen the cook is waiting for you!"** Elijah said to him in a cold and detached voice, both of his hands on his waist, keeping his icy glare directed at Katherine.

"**Certainly…"** Charles responded to him, before nodding his head, and shrugging his shoulders to Katherine to let her know that he had done what he could to warn her of his imminent arrival, before redirecting his walk toward the back kitchen door of the Manor.

"**Master Elijah…"** Gardie exclaimed, while nodding his head, adding. **"…Good afternoon sir…" **

Elijah nodded his head to him in return, while keeping his cold front and angry stare on Katherine, creating shivers all over her body.

"**Ga…Gardie"** Katherine said to the young man, while putting a hand on his left arm. "..**I have work; I need to go back…"**

"**Of course, Miss Katherine…" **Gardie said to her, before addressing himself to Elijah. **"It's my fault, Master Elijah, don't blame Miss Katherine, I retain her away from her work too long…It was my day off, and I wanted to surprise her…" **Gardie explain to Elijah.

"**Not a problem, my bad to have interrupted you, in what seems to be a nice picnic, between the two of you…" **Elijah said, while keeping his eyes locked with Katherine's.

"**Oh…No worries, Master Elijah…"** Gardie explained to him, adding. **"It was really just a bowl of strawberries and cream…" **

This was a nightmare! Katherine thought, not a second he has stopped staring at her, with an intensity that had glued her on her standing place.

"**Go on, please…"** Elijah replied to Gardie, while nodding his head as a goodbye, and turning to walk back toward the Manor.

Katherine closed her eyes relieved, feeling her nerves releasing in all her body, before hearing him calling her again.

"**Miss Katherine, by the way…"** Elijah started, while turning and staring at her once again. **"I'll need your services tonight also, for our…how can I put it… special project!"** He added with a devious smile on his lips, before walking away from them.

Katherine closed her fists with anger, feeling tears appear on the edge of her eyes. He had to put her below the status of maid, no more than a prostitute, in front of Gardie, even if it was impossible for the man to realize what this exchange was all about.

She accompanied Gardie at the entrance of the Manor, before walking back by herself toward the garage, placing herself in front of the wall that she was previously cleaning earlier, before bursting into tears for the first time since many, many, many years.

* * *

><p>Elijah entered the kitchen, before slapping the door behind him in a big bang noise, making the walls shake and all the present employees stop their tasks at hands. He walked pass them, without a word, or an acknowledgement of their presence, even in front of Charles who was standing beside Elizabeth, before leaving the kitchen and walking toward his office room with his chief butler following his foot steps on his side.<p>

"**Master Elijah…"** Charles tried to explain to him.

"**Not now Charles!"** Elijah mumbled in his teeth with anger, before stopping his walk and turning to look at Charles, and adding. **"I want him gone of the estate, the sooner, the better…"**

Charles looked at him with surprise.

"**You want me to lay off one of the best gardener you ever had on the Manor because he shared a nice conversation and strawberries with one of your employees, Master Elijah?" **Charles asked him, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**I want you to transfer him to my small estate in Germany…That place needs work outside…I'm not a monster Charles, stop looking at me, like I am one…My employees are well paid…and he'll still have a job and a roof over his head." **Elijah explained to Charles, to ease his conscience. **"If he stays here, she will take advantage of him, soon enough, and snatch his neck in no time…I do this for his own good! I told her to stay away from him, but she keeps disobeying me!"**

"**Mm…." **Charles mumbled, while putting his right hand over his mouth to hold his laughter. **"Of course, Master Elijah, all of this is essentially because you want to protect the gardener of the slim chance that Miss Katherine would …how did you put it? …Oh yes, snatch his head!" **

"**Exactly…"** Elijah responded to him, not even aware of the sarcastic tone in Charles's voice, adding. **"I'm happy that you see it my way, Charles…I count on you to take the necessary measures as soon as possible."**

Charles nodded his head to Elijah, before agreeing to him:

"**Of course, Master Elijah, I'll do as you wish." **

"**Thank you, I'll be in my office, if you need me." **Elijah replied to Charles, before continuing his walk into the corridor toward his office.

"**So interesting…Who would have thought?"** Charles exclaimed out loud, with a big smile on his face. **"I don't even remember of ever seeing him so jealous before!"**

* * *

><p>Katherine entered Elijah's bedroom around midnight, slamming the door in a loud noise behind her. She could care less if the all Manor would hear it or not, or would finally be aware of their little "rendez-vous". She was so mad at him…and she would make him pay!<p>

Elijah got out of the adjacent bathroom, bare chest, wearing only his PJ black bottom; while passing a face towel on his face, he raised his head and noticed her present presence in the middle of the room. She was staring at him with an angry glare in her eyes, both of her hands on her waist, like a wild furious cat who was ready to jump at the first opportunity it would have to tear him apart in pieces. He smiled, she had asked for this fight all day, and he was more than willing to give it to her.

"**You had to do it…You had to impose your crazy law, as the God of this Manor, on that poor human guy that is Gardie! You had to make him leave away, for you to feel in control!"** Katherine screamed at him.

Elijah walked calmly toward his bed, before throwing the towel on top of it, and turning to look at her.

"**What I decide or not in my own home is not of your business, Katherina…I see that news travel pretty quickly in this place…"** He said to her, while putting his hands on his waist, as a copy cat imitation of her own standing position. **"You ask for it…You can easily put what just happen on your shoulders…I warn you several times Katerina, to never go against my will, you wanted to make a point…you lost sweetheart!" **

"**Hurt me! Get back at me….Put me in a dungeon for what I care…but leave the others out of this thing we have going on between us…"** Katherine replied madly at him.

Elijah raised one of his eyebrows, what was this feeling of humanity he was sensing in her at this moment? Making him see for the first time, the Katerina he used to know when she was a young human girl.

"**This thing, Katerina…."** Elijah repeated sarcastically to her, adding. **"…We have a thing between us now?" **

"**Don't turn my words in your mouth …"** Katherine responded to him.

"**I don't have time for your wailing; Katerina…Lay on the bed!" **He angrily ordered her to do.** "We both know the reason you came in my bedroom for, and it has nothing to do with this fake sudden care for human life!"**

"**Go to hell!" **She screamed at him, before turning and walking toward the bedroom door.

Elijah grabbed forcefully her left forearm, and brought her back closer to him.

"**Let go of my arm!"** She ordered him to do.

"**What will I have to do to tame you, and making you obey me, Katerina? Mm…What a little whore like you need to become docile?" **Elijah angrily said to her.

Katherine raised her free right hand, before slapping him across his left cheek with all the anger she had in her, making him release the grip he had on her left arm, and setting her free.

She put her right hand in front of her mouth, before taking a few steps backward away from him. He raised an angry look at her, before passing the back of his right hand on his cheek.

"**Ok…Elijah, let be rational about this…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to slap you…You pushed my button the wrong way and I only slap you by instinct…"** Katherine mumbled to him, while reaching the wall behind her, and putting her left arm in front of her body as protection.

It only took a split of a second for Elijah to grab both of Katherine's arms, pushing them on the walls above her head, while sliding his body in top of hers to hold her immobile under him, before crashing in anger his mouth on hers, she twisted her body in all direction to set herself free of him, while keeping her lips tightly closed, but he was way stronger than her, and his goal was to make her abdicate over her desire for him, sliding his tongue forcefully between her trembling lips, it was already a lost battle for her. How much she had wanted and longing for him to kiss her!

He finally entered the warm of her mouth, and like ice melting on sun, it only took a second for Katherine to loose all her defences. He felt her resistance shifted, and he decided to release his grip on her arms. His mouth was devouring hers with a passion long over due, and she was returning his kiss with the same ardour, sliding her hands in his hair, in a mix of caressing and grabbing, feeling his hands raising upward the skirt of her uniform, reaching her panties, and pushing it down on her legs, before pushing his own PJ bottom to release his erected member, raising her on the wall and entering his length in one good push inside of her intensifying wetness.

"**Elijah…"** She whispered with surprise, while closing her eyes and crossing her legs around his waist, in a sweet mix of pain and sexual arousal.

"**Relax…and kiss me…"** He murmured to her, his lips in top of hers, while slowly increasing his movements inside of her. It's her who initiated the kiss this time, while taking his face in her hands, locking her eyes with his, and slowly bending her head to kiss his upper lips, while pushing her pelvis down, to fully meet his increasing movements in her, before entering slowly her tongue in his mouth, meeting his once again, in a playful and passionate erotic exchange. He suddenly pushed her arms on each side of the wall, interlacing his fingers with hers, while pushing himself even further in her, making her bending her head backward, her eyes closed, her mouth open, before screaming his name as they both reached their climaxes, leaving them looking intensively at each other, amazed by the intensity of the passion they just experienced in each other arms.

"**You'll be the death of me woman!" **Elijah murmured to her.

"**Considering that there is no way of killing you… I don't know how to take that?" **Katherine answered him sarcastically, while smiling at him.

Elijah laughed, before kissing her tenderly on the lips, slowly sliding himself out of her, and letting her put her feet on the bedroom floor, then, he gently put his hands on her waist while bending his head and capturing her lips once again, at the same time she was sliding her body on his, while passing her arms around his neck. After a few minutes of passionately kissing each other, Elijah pushed her gently out of his arms, and started slowly opening the buttons of her maid uniform, letting it slide on her body to reach the floor, following it by her bra, before passing his arms under her knees a second later, to raise her in his arms while deviously smiling at her.

"**Aren't you satisfied already?"** She mockingly asked him.

"**Katerina…"** Elijah said to her with a laugher in his voice, while taking a few steps toward the bed, adding. **"You know so little about me, yourself, and both of us…the night is so young…And I want you to beg me for mercy before I'm finished with you…"** He whispered in one of her ear. "**You truly have to pay for disobeying me several times today…" **He added to her, while laying her body on the bed, before sliding his body in top of hers.

She raised her chin, and look at him straight in the eyes, before responding him in a challenging tone of voice:

"**You know perfectly well, that I will never beg you for mercy, Elijah!"**

Elijah smiled at her, before caressing her hair, and lowering his head, his lips at a near inch of hers.

"**That is what we will know soon enough, Miss Katherine Pierce!"** He said to her, before crashing his mouth on hers.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Please…"<strong> Katherine begged him several hours later, while lying exhausted on his bed, all sweaty, but extremely sexually satisfy, she thought with a smile on her face.

"**Are you begging me for mercy, Katerina?"** He mockingly asked her, while nipping on her neck.

"**Never…"** She protested to him, while turning to stare at him in the eyes, taking the sheet that was resting on his waist in her hand, before raising it in the air, to look at his anatomy under the cover. **"Sit Max! You need to rest also!"** She added, before lowering the sheet back on his waist.

"**To whom in hell are you talking to?"** Elijah asked her.

She looked at him, with a sarcastic and devious smile on her face.

"**No, no, no, no, no!"** Elijah told her, adding. **"No way in hell, Katerina! You are not naming any part of my anatomy…Read my lips: Never! It's not lady like."**

Katherine looked at him with an open mouth and wild open eyes.

"**Are you kidding me…this coming from you…who called me a whore two hours ago!"** She exclaimed, while turning her back at him. "**Me and Max we like each other, as for you, we only have an agreement…"** She continued explaining to him, while holding her laughter.

"**It was three…." **Elijah replied to her, while sliding his naked body behind hers, and encircling her waist with his right arm, before putting his head in the hollow of her right shoulder.

"**What?"** Katherine asked him.

"**It was three hours ago…"** He repeated to her.

"**No wonder I'm …."** Katherine started, before holding her sentence.

"**You are?"** Elijah repeated in a mocking tone, adding. **"Exhausted, tired…Are you begging me for mercy, Katerina?" **

"**I will never beg you for nothing!" **She repeated to him, with a big smile on her face.

"**I'm sorry…" **He whispered in her ear.** "I shouldn't have said, what I said to you…"**

She shrugged her shoulders, while suddenly loosing her smile.

"**I heard worst from other men…"** She replied to him.

"**But I am not any other man, Katerina…"** He answered her.

That fact, Katherine knew already, Elijah was by himself in a league of his own!

"**I'll have to go now…I don't want Charles to surprise us, like the other time…"** She told him.

"**You need to rest…"** Elijah murmured to her. **"…I'll wake you up in a couple of hours…"** He added before kissing her neck.

"**Ok…"** She replied in a whisper, before falling asleep in his arms a second later.

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><p>Next chapter:<strong> "Invitation to a summer banquet!" – PART 1 <strong>

Girls! I love to read your reviews, and I am extremely happy that you are enjoying this Elijah – Katherine ride with me. I always answer ever message I receive. Thank you!

**NOTE****: **I will start writing the sequels of my two other stories now. So be patient with the update of this one.


	7. Invitation to a summer banquet  1

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**- Lovely Vero –**

_**You are all invited to: Elijah's 2011 Summer Banquet**_

_**- MENU - **_

_**A bit of Laughter**_

_**A bit of blood and killing**_

_**A bit of hotness **_

_**A bit of love making **_

_**A bit of betrayal**_

_**A bit of "cats fight"**_

_**A bit of flirting**_

_**Master Elijah wants for all of you to enjoy yourselves.**_

_**R.S.V.P. you presence as soon as possible**_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**INVITATION TO A SUMMER BANQUET **

**- PART 1 -**

Nine O'clock, on a Saturday morning, with a blue sky and a luminous sun in the sky…Charles was standing on the front porch, his arms crossed in front of his chest, while looking around him and taking in charge all the organization details for tonight's summer banquet that would be held at Elijah's Manor. Couple of delivery trucks were parked up front, and several maids were already running inside and outside to take care of their errands and tasks giving to them the day before. Everything needed to be impeccably in place, without any problems or last minute interferences. Master Elijah wanted the best of the best for his guests, and nothing less than that would be accepted by him!

"**Delivery of one hundred flowers centerpieces for Mr. Charles Brownston."** A young delivery man said to Charles, holding a box in his hands, while passing to Charles an order sheet and a pen for him to sign.

Katherine appeared beside their standing positions a second later, while closing the last button of her uniform.

"**Miss Katherine, you're late…"** Charles said to her, while signing the sheet and giving back the sign form to the delivery man. **"…You can bring the boxes in the master dinning room…a maid will show you the way…" **Charles added to the delivery man, while nodding his head to him and addressing himself to a maid who was cleaning the front porch.** "Christina, could you show the way to the master dining room to this man, please?" **

"**Certainly, Mister Charles…" **The maid answered to him.

"**It's nine o'clock…I am not late!"** Katherine answered him, while sliding her hands on her uniform to swept away the folds, before turning her sight on the young delivery man who was suggestively smiling to her, at the same time he was passing by her side.

"**Well hello there handsome..."** She whispered to the man, winking an eye in return.

"**Miss Katherine!"** Charles said to her, while crossing his arms on his chest, before raising his left sleeve and looking at his watch. **"Technically it is five after nine, which makes you late of five minutes…and do you really want to relive the nightmare of the Gardie story, today of all day?"**

"**Gosh, you seems nervous today, more than usual, Charles…Did you drink your coffee this morning?" **Katherine asked him, while raising her eyes. **"First…I was only innocently flirting for 2 seconds, I'm bored, I need distractions…I already forgot all about that delivery man…Second, I was not responsible for the Gardie story, it came very innocently at me…Third, I've never flirted with Gardie, he flirted with me…if the "King" of this castle was not having an ego the size of the planet and would let his employees have a personal life, Gardie would not have been shipped in Germany!"** She added to Charles while crossing her arms on her chest in a copy cat version of Charles's standing position.

Charles could not contain the biggest smile on his face, while looking at her.

"**Why are you smiling at me like that?"** Katherine asked him, while pointing one of her fingers to his face.

"**First, Miss Katherine, it is not polite to point a finger at someone…"** Charles said to her.

"**Whatever…**" She responded to him. **"…and you're not someone, you're my Charles!"**

"**A lady should be able to have a certain class in society…"** Charles explained to her.

"**Well, I'm not a lady…Obviously…Why are you laughing?"** She kept asking him.

"**Two weeks is a long time without the presence of Master Elijah in the Manor, would you say?"** Charles said to Katherine, while showing with a hand gesture to a delivering man to enter extra chairs in the house.

Katherine turned her sight in front of her.

"**Oh, he was gone…I did not notice!" **She replied to Charles, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, and keeping her chin up.

"**Of course you did notice, Miss Katherine…Well, Master Elijah is back. He just arrived an hour ago…And, as for the Gardie story, he had informed me that Mister Gardie could come back at the Manor after his stay at his German house, to help put back together the garden that needed taking care…"** Charles explained to her, while giving a glimpse at Katherine, to notice her reaction after his announcement.

Katherine turned her head a second after his saying to look at Charles.

"**He did? Are you sure?"** Katherine asked Charles, while putting her right hand on his left forearm.

"**Mm, mm….I still wonder, who or what could have make him change his mind?"** Charles asked her, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**I don't know…"** Katherine answered to him. "…**The man is moody; unstable…You never know what he is going to do…"** She added to Charles, with a gesture of her hand, while shrugging her shoulders, and holding back her need to smile.

"**Well…If I was you, Miss Katherine, I would find time in my day to thank this moody and unstable man for his good grace toward you…" **Charles replied to her.

Katherine smiled and took a few steps toward the front entrance of the Manor, to enter inside.

"**Miss Katherine, now would not be a good time…You have a list of tasks to do for tonight's banquet!"** Charles screamed at her, but she was already turning her back at him and waving a hand, while directing her rapid walk toward the stairs. She noticed that a young maid was climbing the stairs at the same time, with a basket of fresh washed towels.

"**Where are you going with this?"** She asked her, while showing with her right hand the basket that the maid was carrying in her hands.

"**Mister Charles asked me to put fresh towels in each guest bedroom."** The young maid answered her.

"**Well…Mister Charles needs you in the kitchen for last minute emergency right now, so woosh! Let me handle this and go, quick!**" Katherine said to the girl, while taking the basket from her hands.

"**Thank you…"** The young maid whispered before rushing downstairs in direction of the kitchen.

Katherine rapidly climbed the last of the stairs, directing her walk toward Elijah's bedroom, reaching the door, while taking a rapid look at her right and left, before entering the said room. He was not in the bedroom, obviously, but she could hear the shower running in the adjacent bathroom. She opened the door, and entered inside the steamy room with two body towels on her left arm.

Elijah was standing under the shower, while passing a hand on his wet hair. He suddenly felt a presence behind him, and turned to find Katherine standing behind the glass shower in front of him, while holding guests towels in her arms.

"**Hi…"** She whispered to him, while locking her eyes with his, before sliding slowly her stare from his muscular chest, to his toned stomach and pelvis, and under…

"**Good morning, Katerina…you like what you're seeing?"** He sarcastically asked her, with a smirk on his face.

"**Maybe…**" She answered him, before lowering her sight to the floor, not that she was shy at the first place, she had seen her share of naked man…but Elijah was always different to her, he made her feel uncomfortable. **"…I…I brought you towels!" **

"**How nice of you…"** Elijah answered her, while holding his amusement. **"…You wanted to ask me something, Katerina? Or maybe you just missed me, and you wanted to see me, and took the excuse of bringing me fresh cleaned towels, when I already have more than enough in here…." **He added to her, while nodding his head in direction of the sink cabinet, with a sarcastic smile on his lips.

Katherine turned and saw a bunch of new fresh cleaned towels in top of the sink cabinet.

"**I didn't know…I must have misunderstood my tasks of the day…I will leave you then…"** She said to him, while blushing and rapidly walking toward the bathroom door, before stopping on her track, remembering the reason she was here. She turned again, and looked at him straight in the eyes. **"I wanted to thank you for your kind gesture of allowing Gardie to come back to the Manor…"** She whispered to him.

Elijah raised an eyebrow, while staring straight at her. He'll be damn! Katerina Petrova was actually thanking him!

"**You know what you have to do, and not do, to keep him here after his return, don't you?"** He asked her.

She nodded her head to him in affirmation.

"**You're welcome, Katerina."** He added to her.

She nodded her head herself one last time, before leaving the bathroom and closing the door behind her. Elijah lowered his sight, while taking a few steps and putting his head under the water of the shower head once again…before suddenly taking back his initial standing position away from the water.

"**Katerina…"** He screamed, in hope that she would still be in the bedroom, while passing a nervous hand on his wet hair….Hoping that she would be able to hear him call her. It has been too long and too unbearable two weeks without seeing her… He wanted her more than ever! But only the silence answered him. He put both of his arms on the wall in front of him, while straightening his arms, before lowering his head between them.

"**Yes?" **He heard a voice respond to him, making him raise his head in surprise and turning his sight to look at Katerina who was standing in front of him, behind the shower glass door, in her underwear with one hand placed on her waist. She god rid of her bra and panties, by letting them slide on the floor in slow, calculated and sensual movements; her eyes locked with Elijah's. She finally opened the glass door, before entering the marble shower space, passing by him, to reach the soap who was in an alcove in the opposite wall, without being able to reach it, being pull by two arms into full front contact with Elijah's chest, his hands sliding a second later on her waist and tender skin of her bottom in a slow mix of caress and grabbing.

"**Elijah…"** She murmured to him, before seeing him bend his head, and sliding his lips on the right side of her neck.

"**Mm…"** He murmured to her, before sensually sliding his mouth and devouring each inch of her skin; lowering it on her neckline, in a mix of kissing and licking.

"**I don't know why I came back…"** She mumbled incoherently to him, while sliding both of her hands in his wet hair.

"**Yes, you do…"** He whispered in her right ear, while pushing her body to lean on the wall behind her, cupping with his right hand her left breast, feeling its roundness, before stroking the tip of her nipple with his thumb. **"..You missed me, you want me…and you need to feel me inside of you…as much as I want to be in you….now!"** He added to her, before lowering his head to replace the hand on her breast by his mouth, playing erotically with the tip of his tongue on her sensitive nipple. **"You're so beautiful…"** He whispered to her, while slowly sliding his right hand between her legs, on her folds, feeling her intense wetness, before slowly started to caress her.

"**No…Elijah, We shouldn't do this now… "** She mumbled to him, while contradicting herself by pushing his head nearer to her chest, and elevating her right leg to rest it on his left hip bone, feeling him a second later elevating her on the wall in his arms, his erected length resting straight between her legs, rubbing its hardness on the sensitive inside of her upper thighs. What was happening to her? Why in hell did she came back to the bathroom and offer herself on a silver platter to him like this? She needed to be careful…Katerina Petrova would never offer herself so easily to a man…Men were chasing after her, and not the other way around…Especially a man that she hated with every fibber of her being, and that she had an agreement with! But at the moment, her only need was purely sexual, or she would prefer to think that was the reason? She only had one need, and that need could only be fulfil by one and only man, Elijah!

"**Katerina…"** He whispered to her. **"…If you continue that way I won't be able to put any preliminary to this…" **He added to her, raising his head from her chest to look at her in the eyes, before approaching his mouth of hers. ** "Tell, me you missed me…" **He asked her to confess, while sliding his right hand in her hair to get rid of her hair clip, letting her hair fall on her shoulders, before passing his right hand on her hair in a slow caress, creating shivers in all her body.

"**Were you gone?"** She mockingly answered to him, while sliding her hands on his muscular chest, appreciating the feeling of the softness of his skin and his muscular abs, before lowering her right hand down on him, and grabbing firmly his length. **"Well…I missed Max…As for you I did not notice that you were gone…" **

Elijah smiled at her, before laughing out loud and tenderly kissing her, sliding his tongue between her two lips, erotically caressing her bottom one with its tip.

"**You're so bad…What did I told you about calling it that name?" **He whispered, his lips still on hers, while closing his eyes and gasping at the intense sexual pleasure she was giving him by sliding her hand in a rapid up and down movement on his length, before rubbing the tip with her thumb.

"**I can't stay, Elijah…"** Katherine whispered to him, in between torrid exchange of kisses. **"Charles is waiting for me, I have loads of work to do for tonight…" **She added to him.

"**You're such a naughty teaser….I'll talk to your boss for you…He'll let you stay!"** He replied to her in a whisper, with a sarcastic smile on his face, before raising her body higher in his arms. She kept her balance by putting both of her hands on his shoulders, crossing her legs around his waist. He carried her under the shower, before sliding his length inside of her wetness in a good and profound movement. She closed her eyes, and opened her mouth, bending her back backward, under the water, while keeping her balance by putting her hands on the wall.

Elijah started to move in her, in slow steady movements. The waterfall was sliding erotically on her round breasts, showing him the most beautiful erotic image of a woman that he had ever seen in all his long life! He pushed himself under the water, while pushing her back on the wall at the same time, and raising his speed movements, increasing every push by sliding himself farther and harder in her.

"**Elijah…"** She mumbled to him, her eyes closed, while grabbing firmly his hair with both of her hands. She was keeping the tempo of his increased rhythm by pushing her pelvis down at the same time he was pushing in her. **"…It's so good; I needed to feel you inside of me!"** She whispered to him, without her acknowledgement of admitting to him her secret thoughts, making him smirk while listening to her admission to him. Soon, he thought, he would become the center of her universe…He could swear on that!

"**Katerina, open your eyes and look at me…"** He murmured to her.

She slowly opened her eyes, before plunging them in the intensity of his stare. He approached his lips of hers; kissing her tenderly, while keeping his sight in hers, increasing even more his in and out movements in her, feeling shivers passing on her arms.

"**You're shivering, you're ok?"** He murmured to her, while kissing her cheeks, and passing his hands on her hair.

"**Yes…"** She whispered back to him, while nodding her head. **"I'm co…." **She mumbled to him, before opening his mouth, feeling that she was at a near second of reaching her sexual peak.

"**I know…"** He replied to her, before elevating her arms on the shower wall behind her, sliding his hands on them in a slow caress, before interlacing his fingers with hers. **"Say it…"** He asked her, before pushing himself one last time and crashing with her, at the minute she screamed his name. They stared into each other eyes, wrapped in the intensity of the moment, when he repeated: "**Say it…"**

"**I missed you…"** She confessed to him in a whisper.

"**Now that was not so bad to confess…Wasn't it Katerina?"** He answered her, with the biggest smile on his face, before lowering his mouth on hers, and kissing her passionately.

* * *

><p>"<strong>May I know why?"<strong> Katherine asked Charles, while standing in front of him, with both of her hands on each side of her waist, with a mad expression on her face.

"**You'll be assigned to the Kitchen duty for the all duration of the banquet, end of the story Miss Katherine, There is no why to be asked…It is just simply like that!" **Charles responded to her, while transpiring enormously in desperation of making her agreeing to her evening duty.

"**Charles please…I'll be bored to death! I want to see what this all summer banquet is all about…" **Katherine pleaded to him, while gently sliding and caressing his left arm with her fingers. **"Pretty please…"**

"**Are you really doing what you are doing to me now, Miss Katherine?"** Charles asked her, while opening his eyes in anger.

"**Grr…." **Katheine mumbled in her teeth, before hitting her right foot on the marble floor of the entrance.** "You know me too well, I hate you for that!" **She responded to him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**Miss Katherine, you're acting childish for you age…"** Charles responded to her.

"**My age, seriously…You want to go there?"** She asked him, while raising an eyebrow.

Charles elevated his eyes to the ceiling before adding:

"**Let's just say that the menu has been established…and that we don't want an extra dead body for desert!"** Charles responded to her.

"**What? I wouldn't kill anybody…I just want to be in the middle of the action…I want to have some fun…"** She replied in return. **"…I swear I would behave and do my job very well…"** She said to Charles, while putting her hands together as a prayer gesture.

"**Master Elijah has decided …"** Charles replied to her as an order.

"**I should have known that it was coming from him!"** She harshly replied to Charles.

Elijah came down from upstairs, while whistling and directing his walk into the corridor, toward the entrance of the Manor. He was wearing a white t-shirt, with a pair of light blue tight jeans, his ridding boots, and his hair were still wet from his previous shower with Katerina. Maids were frantically running everywhere in the manor, in a hurry to finish the last details of the banquet before the end of the day, passing by him, with blush cheeks, timid smiles, and gossiping whispers on his good look, while greeting him with reverences.

"**Good morning, Master Elijah…" – "How are you today, Master Elijah…" – "We hope the banquet will be a success, Master Elijah…" - "What a beautiful day for a banquet, Master Elijah…"**

"**Ladies…" **Elijah responded, while nodding his head and showing his killer smile to all of them, before noticing Charles and Katherine, who were standing face to face at the end of the corridor, near the front entrance door.

"**How are you my friend?"** Elijah asked, before putting a friendly hand on Charles left shoulder, before turning his sight on Katherine. **"Katerina…"** Elijah greeted her, while nodding his head.

"**Master Elijah…"** Katerina responded to him in a sarcastic voice, while making a theatrical reverence to him, to play his game.

"**Master Elijah…"** Charles responded to him, while nodding his head to him, while raising one of his eyebrows at the strange exchange he was witnessing between Elijah and Katherine. **"…You seem in a good mood today…How was your trip?" **

"**It has been good, thank you Charles….As for my mood of today, well…" **Elijah started explaining to Charles. **"…My morning shower was very reinvigorating to me….Must have been the extra towels that I received…" **He added to him, while slowly sliding his sight on Katherine's body, smirking and winking one eye to her, making her lowered her head and blushing like a teenager.

"Damn him!" Thought Katherine…He was making her uncomfortable and making Katerina Petrova uncomfortable was not an easy task to do!

"**I'm sure it was…"** Charles responded to Elijah, while looking at both of them alternately, while trying to hold his laughter. So, that is where Miss Katherine had disappeared earlier!

"**I'm sorry…I have a lot to do, I let you be."** Katherine said to both men, before making a reverence and leaving them in the entrance of the Manor. Elijah kept his stare, till he could not see her in the corridor anymore.

"**Master Elijah!" **Charles repeated for the third time in a loud voice, while waving a hand in front of his eyes.

"**Yes…Sorry…" **Elijah responded to Charles, while getting out of his trance. **"Is everything coming along nicely for tonight?"**

"**Everything will be in order as you intended to be, Master..." **Charles responded to him, while containing his urge to laugh at Elijah's teenage response of seeing Miss Katherine.

"**Good…and?"** Elijah asked him, while titling his head to the left.

"**She will be assigning to help the maids in the kitchen…and won't be present in the dining room…"** Charles responded to him, while holding the urge to let a smile appear on his face, with a thought that keeping Miss Katherine on a leash in the kitchen could backfire on them in no time!

"**Good…Keep it that way!"** Elijah added to him, while tapping his right hand on Charles's left shoulder, before gently pushing Charles to follow him outside.

They stepped out on the front porch, finding a private spot to continue their conversation.

"**Did you find out anything about the whereabouts of your family?"** Charles asked him, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**While in Croatia I received leak information that there could be a slim chance that their bodies would had been hidden by Klaus in a monastery…." **Elijah murmured to Charles.

"**And…"** Charles asked him.

"**False lead…" **Elijah responded while pacing back and forth in front of Charles, both of his hands on his waist.

"**And tonight…I am supposing that someone will present himself or herself with the missing information you need?"** Charles asked him again.

"**Eleonore Greenwich….You know her?" **Elijah murmured to Charles.

"**She is a very powerful witch…She stayed several years in China…before moving around between Australia and New-Zealand" **Charles responded to Elijah.

"**Not only that, she was in contact with my brother for a couple of years…"** Elijah explained to Charles.

"**You think she would know something about your family's whereabouts?" **Charles asked him.

"**I think that I should check every possibility that is out there…"** Elijah responded to Charles, while shrugging his shoulders.

"**You should, indeed…"** Charles said to him.

"**I let you know how it will turn out tonight…"** Elijah replied to him, before directing his walk toward his stables.

"**Only God knows what this night will bring to all of us …"** Charles added to himself, while watching Elijah disappeared of his sight.

* * *

><p>Did I ever tell all of you how much I love this pairing and story? I believe I did!<p>

I decided to cut this long nigh of the "Summer Banquet" in two or possibly three chapters, helping all of you, by the meantime, having the chapters coming at you more often and quickly. I am still writing three stories at the same time…so I thank you for your patience with the updates.

**As always, I can't wait to read you all! Thank you!**


	8. Invitation to a summer banquet  2

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**Lovely Vero **

**Writer's note****: If you are very attentive, there are many implied indications of what the future hold for Elijah and Katherine in this chapter. I am winking to all of you!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

**INVITATION TO A SUMMER BANQUET **

**- PART 2 -**

* * *

><p>He took a glimpse at his reflection in the bedroom mirror, perfectly dressed in a silky whiter than white men shirt, and a black tuxedo trouser perfectly cut for him, his shining black leather men shoes completing the perfect ensemble. He very slowly reached to pick up the cufflinks placed on a crystal tray on his man dresser, engraved in eighteen carats gold with an "E", he then reached for his silk tie and did the knot perfectly, before passing the sleeveless vest and closing the up front buttons, smiling at himself in the mirror…He certainly knew how to be the number one, dashing and handsome, man in a party…more so, if it was him who was inviting the crowd! Perfection was one of his signature mark, and nothing less than perfect would suit his style! After a last and final glare to his reflection, he took in his right hand his tuxedo vest that was on the top of his bedroom arm chair, before opening his bedroom door and directing his walk into the corridor toward the back stairs of the mansion. There was still a little detail that he needed to make sure of, before meeting his guests.<p>

Elizabeth, the maid in chief, who was stepping out of one of the guest bedroom, turned on herself and froze at the sight of Elijah, who was walking toward her standing position in the corridor.

"**Good evening, Elizabeth…"**Elijah greeted her with a ravishing smile. **"…Are you alright, is there something wrong, you are so pale suddenly…" **He added while noticing her froze posture.

"**Oh…I'm sorry, Master Elijah…No, I am fine, and you are looking so dashing tonight that I lost my words for a second…My husband would not be proud if he was witnessing me looking at another man…"** Elizabeth answered him, while blushing.

"**None sense, and giving me too much compliments will make me blush, Elizabeth!"** Elijah replied to her, while blushing himself, adding. **"But, thank you! How's your husband by the way?" **

Elizabeth's husband had been diagnostic with a last stage general cancer. This was the kind of situation when Elijah would gladly turn a human into vampire to save the person from such pain! She lowered her head, with a change sadness expression on her face, before shaking her head from right to left.

"**I'm so sorry to hear, my dear…Hoping for the best for you and your family, if you need anything, don't hesitate to come and see me!" **Elijah told her, while putting a friendly hand on her left forearm.

"**Thank you Master Elijah, you are very kind to us…" **She said to him, while nodding his. **"I have to change uniform now, and wish you a nice summer banquet tonight…." **Elizabeth added to him, while making a reverence, and taking a few steps toward the opposite direction he was taking.

"**Oh by the way Elizabeth, Did you see Miss Katherine around?"** He asked her.

Elizabeth turned to look at him, and answered:

"**I believe she has been attributed with kitchen duties for tonight. You should find her there, Master Elijah."** She answered him back, while making a last reverence to him, before continuing her walk.

"**Knowing her...I doubt she would stay put."** Elijah answered more to himself than anybody else, before taking the back stairs.

* * *

><p>Katherine walked silently along the wall of the corridor that was leading toward the main entrance of the manor, glued to the said wall, while turning her head from right to left to secure her secret watching position away from Charles. If he would find her here, he would bring her back to the kitchen by pulling her by one ear, that she was certain of it!<p>

The entrance had been decorated with fresh flowers in vases, candles, and flowers tinsel, a red velvety carpet had been put in front of the entrance, a harpist was positioned slightly on the left, and was greeting the guests with classical pieces, while valets and maids were greeting them with glasses of champagne, while directing them toward the big parlour/ballroom. It was still early, and only a couple of them where entering the entrance of the manor. She should have come later…but then, she would have been seen for sure…she needed to go back to the kitchen now; she turned and collided directly with a muscular chest, she raised her sight and lost all her colors while noticing that she had entered in collision with Elijah's body.

Elijah grabbed angrily her left upper arm, dragging her forcefully beside him in a rapid walk into different corridors, toward the back kitchen.

"**What part of your duties and tasks for the night are in the kitchen did you not understood, Katerina?"** He asked her, while dragging her rapidly toward the kitchen.

"**I did! I was ….I was looking for you?"** She replied to him.

"**I doubt that!"** Elijah answered her.

"**I wanted to wish you a good time!"** Katherine responded to him, while nodding her head.

"**Your ability to lie is getting worst and worst, Katerina…"** He replied to her.

"**Hey, cave man! Could you please let go of my arm?" **She screamed at him.

"**A cave man, you said, really?"** He asked her, while turning to look at her in the eyes, before letting her go, and cross his arms in front of his chest.

"**Well…You are dragging me like I am a two year old or your slave!"** Katherine angrily responded to him. "**I'm neither one of them!"** She added, while bursting her anger in his face.

"**You don't say, Katerina…"** Elijah replied madly to her, while putting both of his hands on each side of his hips, and taking slow calculated steps to reach her standing position, making her take a few steps backward herself before reaching the wall behind her, and leaning her back on it. **"Strange? Because you're acting like a child, and as for being my slave…" **He added to her, while putting both of his hands, each side of her heads, on the wall, continuing by lowering his head near hers and whispering in her left ear. **"We both have already established that you were more than one of my house maid… that you were also my mistress pay by the hour, did we, sweet Katerina?" ** Before straightening himself, locking his eyes with hers, and caressing her hair, while deviously smiling at her.

Katherine closed her fists in anger, but she knew better now than to confront Elijah up front, she needed to simply enrolled him around her little finger for the time being...She kept her staring in his eyes, while raising her right hand, on his Tuxedo vest, touching the softness and good quality of the material, before sliding her right hand under the opening of his tuxedo vest, under his sleeveless vest while touching his chest in top of his silky man shirt.

"**Grr….I love you in a Tux….You look so dashing and sexy!" **Katherine said to him, in a seductive voice, while continuing to caress him. **"… Maybe I could do something for you…" **She seductively whispered in his left ear, adding.** "…and you could in exchange, I don't know…Let me pass glasses of champagne to your guests…Or be part of it some way?"**

"**Mm…." **Elijah murmured to her, with a smirk on his face**. "…Are you negotiating with me, Katerina?" **

"**Maybe I am…Maybe; you could pay me this way this time…" **She responded to him, while winking at him.

"**Yes, maybe I could…" **He answered her, while continuing passing his right hand through her hair, and leaning his head near hers, kissing slowly her left cheek. **"But….People could come and see us in here; we should go in my office…"** He added, while smiling deviously at her, and pushing her slowly toward his office door, making her giggled with excitement.

He pushed her inside his office room, before turning his head from right to left to verify that the corridor was completely empty of curious eyes, closing the door behind him, and slowly getting rid of his tuxedo vest, before folding it properly on the top of a chair, turning to look at her, with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"**Were do you want to do it, on the desk, armchair, floor?" **She asked him, with her right hand placed on her hips, opening slowly the button of her maid uniform.** "But let makes something clear….This entitled me of being present as a maid at the banquet…" **

"**A simple chair would be fine!" **He answered her, while holding his left hand to her.

"**I never thought you were the type to do it so roughly…it's very primary, bestial…I like it…"** Katherine responded to him, while giving him her hands.

"**Mm…."** Elijah answered her, with a sarcastic smile on his lips, adding. **"You don't know how much I can surprise you…" **

Katherine did not even have a moment to grasp the idea of what was happening to her, it took him only two seconds with his vampire speed, to take her in his arms, sat on the chair, reverse her body and putting her face down on his knees, with her bottom raised in the air, in perfect reach of his right hand.

"**Now, where were we?"** Elijah said to Katherine, while slapping slowly his hand on her bottom.

"**Don't you dare, Bastard?"** She started to scream from the top of her lungs, fully realizing that her faith had already been decided by him, adding. **"Elijah, let me go, please…"** She begged him, while trying to free herself away from his grip, but without any success, making him burst into laughter.

"**Elijah? Really…Which part of: I don't obey you, but you obey me, you did not understand, Katerina?"** He asked her, while slapping several times his right hand on her bottom, with a good strength in his movements this time.

"**Stop…it hurts, you fool!"** She screamed at him.

"**Fool?"** He repeated to himself, before continuing slapping her bottom.

"**Master….Master Elijah, I can even call you God, if you want me too….Please!" **She begged him again, adding. **"I swear I will stay in the kitchen for the all night, promise!"**

"**See the thing is, Katerina…I don't know if you can be trusted?"** He started explaining to her, his right hand now resting on her bottom. **"You never seem to fully understand who's calling the shots in here..."**

"**You are! You call the shots in here…don't hit me again…I can't feel my bottom anymore, please, I am begging you...Master Elijah!" **She begged him, making him giggle in silence.

With his vampire speed, he turned her body, and made her sit on his knees, while holding her solidly in his arms and looking at her in the eyes, she tried to escape his grip, by pushing herself away from him, but he was holding her solidly. She looked adorable with her mad expression on her face.

"**Little girl are not supposed to sulk when they are been punished…They should simply learn to obey and behave...And who knows, if you behave, maybe you will be rewarded at the end…."** Elijah murmured to her at a near inch of her mouth.

"**I bet slapping me that way, had reawakened naughty needs in you?"** She asked him, while approaching her lips of his, still fighting to win that battle.

"**Mm…You think?"** He whispered to her, while putting his lips on top of hers without really kissing her. **"You're such a teaser, Katerina…" **He added to her, before crashing his mouth on hers, in a demanding and passionate kiss, taking all that she has to offer to him, while leaving her powerless in his arms, before detaching his mouth of hers, and pushing her body without any notice on the floor, making her mumbled blasphemy words at his attention.

"**Now, now, Katerina…"** He started replying to her, taking his tuxedo vest on the chair, and dressing himself with it, while watching her getting up from the floor, and smiling at the angry stare. **"That is not a way to talk to your boss, is it sweetheart? I give you 2 minutes to bring your beautiful ass back to the kitchen; you should find ice there to sit your bottom on it…" **He added to her, while turning to look at her one last time before leaving the room. **"..And Katerina, don't ever think that you could turn me around your little finger with sexual favours, you would loose every time…" **He said to her, before closing the door behind him.

"**I hate you!"** She screamed out loud, before tapping her feet angrily on the floor.

Elijah busted into laugher, hearing her screams through the door, before directing his walk toward the entrance of the manor. His guests were waiting for him.

* * *

><p>Katherine entered the kitchen, her right hand, holding the right side of her bottom, while passing rapidly in front of a "arms crossed in front of his chest – mad stare toward her" Charles, before directing her walk to place herself beside a large group of regular and interim maids who were present to listen to the instruction of Charles.<p>

"**How nice of you to join us, Miss Katherine…."** Charles said to her, before raising his head and looking at the clock on the wall, adding. **"…Fifteen minutes late, we hope that we did not bother you in your busy day?"**

Katherine shrugged her shoulders to him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**Ladies…You have all been attributed with kitchen duties, or dinning room duties for the all duration of the night…For those in the kitchen, you will be instructed by the chief cook and his helping cooking staff…"** Charles started explaining, while walking left to right in front of the maids group, with his hands crossed behind his back. **"…as for the maids in the master dinner room, each one of you will be attributed a small section of the table of eight guests, not less, not more…Master Elijah demand an impeccable service, for the all duration of the diner, politeness, openness, delicateness, a big smile showing on your face, you are there at the services of Master Elijah's guests…I wish all of you a nice banquet….chip chop!" **He said to all of them, while clapping his white gloves hands.

Katherine walked toward the big refrigerator, while taking an ice pack in her hands, and taking place on a kitchen stool, but not before sitting on it. Charles put his white glove right hand in front of his mouth, trying to hold his need to burst into laughter, for what he was witnessing, he had a pretty good idea of what had happened earlier to her.

"**Don't even ask!"** She said to Charles, while putting some caviar appetizers on a large silver tray, while noticing maids frantically taking trays in their hands, and leaving the kitchen with them, while wearing their new silky satin black uniforms.

"**And why is that, Miss Katherine?" **Charles asked her, with a mocking tone in the voice.** "I suppose you were walking around, when Master Elijah catch you in the up front of the manor, while secretly lurking along the wall of the corridors?" **

Katherine shrugged her shoulders, while sweeping a small dust on Charles's sleeveless vest.

"**You look very handsome by the way with your white gloves…Very 1920's butler style!"** Katherine said to him, with a smile on her face, while winking at him.

"**Well, thank you, Miss Katherine…"** Charles responded to her, with blushed cheeks.

"**And look at all of them…"** Katherine said to him, while nodding her head in direction of the maids. **"They look so good in their silky new uniform…and I look like a laboratory rat with what I'm wearing…" **She added to Charles, with a mad expression on her face, making Charles open his eyes wider.

"**Don't tell me that you are jealous of the new maid uniform, Miss Katherine?"** Charles asked her, while trying to hold his laughter.

"**Well…Not really…"** She responded to him, before bursting into laughter herself.

Elizabeth entered the kitchen, while instructing a couple of new maids to take trays with champagne on it, to bring it in the parlour-ballroom.

Charles nodded his head to her, while smiling. She waived at both Katherine and Charles, before approaching them.

"**Good evening, Mister Charles, Miss Katherine..."** She said to them.

She had put her hair in a sophisticated bun, with a golden clip to hold them. She was wearing makeup, and a silky long sleeveless dress, with her name tag on the front to show that she was the head maid, present for the evening.

"**You look…"** Charles started saying to her, while loosing his words for a second. **"Magnificent!"** He added to a blushing Elizabeth.

Katherine raised one of her eyebrows, before titling her head to look at Charles, before letting the biggest smile appeared on her face. How come she did not notice that before?

"**I'll be damn!"** Katherine busted out loud, making Charles and Elizabeth turn to look at her with huge open eyes, and surprise directed at her. **"I mean…"** Katherine re-started to say, adding. **"I'll be damn, how beautiful you look Elizabeth!"** She said to them.

"**Oh…Thank you, Miss Katherine…It's really an old dress, nothing very fancy!"** She replied to them, while passing her hands on the up front fabric of her dress.

"**Nevertheless, you look very beautiful in it…"** Charles added to her, while smiling and nodding his head.

"**You look very handsome yourself, Mister Charles"** Elizabeth answered him. **"I wish to both of you a nice evening!"** Elizabeth added to them, before leaving the kitchen.

Katherine was watching the exchange, with her arms crossed in front of her chest, and the biggest sarcastic smile on her lips. Charles turned and looked at her, while raising himself an eyebrow.

"**Miss Katherine, are you in search of adding tasks to your already busy night, you don't seem much occupied at the moment?"** He asked her.

"**I was placing hors d'oeuvre on a silver plate, while watching you and Elizabeth talking, Charles…"** She mockingly answered him, while starting her task again. **"What was that?"** She asked him, with a sarcastic smile on her face, while giving him a nudge in the ribs.

"**What was what, Miss Katherine?"** He asked her, while crossing his arms on his chest, and raising his eyes on the ceiling.

"**The puppy amorous look you gave to Elizabeth?"** She answered him.

"**I did not give such a look to Mrs. Elizabeth, Miss Katherine!"** He angrily responded to her.

"**Oh my God…Snaky Charles…"** She said to him, while giving him a friendly slap on his right arm. **"…You have a thing for her!" **

"**I certainly don't have such a thing, Miss Katherine; did you forget that Mrs. Elizabeth is married?" **Charles exclaimed to her, adding.** "And I would like for you to refrain making such comment in the future!" **He angrily warned her.

"**First, she will be a widow very soon….Almost dead sick husband and all…"** Katherine said to him.

"**Miss Katherine!"** Charles screamed at her, outraged by her saying.

"**What? It's not me who's killing the guy….He's sick and dying! Though, if you would like me to kill him, I could! This bringing me to my second point, I could ease his and family's suffering, quick death and all…and it would give you a free path to Elizabeth!"** Katherine said to him, with the biggest smile on her face, adding. **"Think about it…I would not do it for anybody, but for you…piece of cake!"**

Charles was standing in front of Katherine, with his right glove hand on his eyes, while counting to ten in his head.

"**There would not be any need for you to kill anybody, Miss Katherine…"** He slowly started responding to her, adding. **"…Because I would kill you myself before!"** He screamed at her.

"**See…That is not nice, Charles…I was just trying to be helpful here…and it's not like the thing you're having for her will disappear…but, suit yourself."** Katherine said to him, while raising her eyes to the ceiling.

"**Don't ever mention that stupid subject to anyone ever again, Miss Katherine!" **Charles ordered her. **"Mrs. Elizabeth is a respectful woman, a work colleague, who's passing through difficult family times right now, she deserve our tolerance, our respect, and our understanding, was I clear?"**

"**Ya…Ya…Whatever, but you're still in love with her…"** Katherine answered him, making him closed his fists in anger. **"…But, I won't mention it to you, or anybody, ever again…"** She added to him, while crossing fingers behind her back.

"**My duties for the night are calling me…Stay put…Do as you've been ask to do…and try to not mess this evening, Miss Katherine"** He said to her, before adding. **"And I can see that you are crossing your fingers behind your back!"** He added to her, while walking toward the kitchen exit, making Katherine burst into laughter.

* * *

><p>Elijah entered the parlour\ballroom and started greeting his guests: mayor, politicians, well known people of England, with hands shake and kisses on the cheeks to the ladies, while being accompanied by a pianist and a lady - blues jazz singer of old 1920' songs.<p>

"**Elijah!"** She heard a feminine voice called him, making him turned.

"**Elise!"** Elijah said to her, before kissing her cheeks, adding. **"What a pleasure my dear,** **Richard…**" He greeted with a hand shake to Elise's husband. **"…It is** **also a pleasure to see you.**"

"**Same here…"** An older bearded glasses man answered him, while shaking Elijah's hand. "…**You appreciate old blues jazzy songs as I can see?"**

"**It's an era that I am found of, you can say that…"** Elijah answered him, while putting his hands in his tuxedo pants and smiling.

"**Well, everything is exquisite! Like I was saying to Richard, I was not expecting anything less coming from you…"** Elise said to both of them, while taking her glass of champagne to her mouth.

Elijah nodded his head to them.

"**I appreciate your kind words, and I wish you a nice evening…Please, enjoy yourselves."** He added to them, before shaking Elise's husband right hand one last time, and nodding his head to Elise, who gave him a suggestive and seductive look.

He continued greeting guests, before taking in both of his hand the right hand of an elderly nun.

"**Sister Marie Rose…I'm happy you could be with us for this evening."** He said to her.

"**Master Elijah! It is my pleasure…"** She answered him, while smiling at him. **"..Your last contribution to the orphanage was more than generous, and I hope you'll have time to come and see the children soon…" **

"**I'll do my best Sister Marie Rose…I'm happy that I could help…How's your health?" **He asked her.

"**I'm very old…And soon I'll have no other choice but to pass my title to a younger sister, Master Elijah..."** She confessed to him.

"**I don't believe this for one second…You'll still as young as a fresh flower!"** He responded to her, while kissing her hand.

"**You're such a charmer…"** Sister Marie Roselyn answered him, while blushing. **"How a perfect gentleman like you never married?" **

Elijah laughed out loud at the irony of the sister saying, before adding:

"**I don't think marriage is in my future, Sister…" **

Sister Marie Rose took his hand in hers, opened it to look at his palm before saying:

"**Your hand palm is telling the contrary, you'll marry and you'll have a son…in a near future, if I may add…And you'll be madly in love with your wife and she will be with you!" **

"**You don't say…"** Elijah replied to her, with a sarcastic smile on his lips. There was obviously no need for him to crash her poor heart. **"..I thank you so much to confirm it to me then, Sister Marie Rose…Enjoy your evening, and let me know if you need anything?"** He added to her with a smile, while continuing his greetings.

He took a glass of champagne from a tray and started drinking it, before hearing a well known none pleasant voice in his ears.

"**Now, I hope you took your red elixir before drinking this premium, top of the line, champagne…"** A man said to him. **"I don't want you to start killing your guests in the middle of the night!" **

Elijah turned his sight to look at the man, who was standing in front of him, before lowering his glass.

"**Eric…"** Elijah murmured to him, with a mad glare in his eyes, adding. **"I don't believe you name was on the guests list?" **

"**Aww…You know me, I love to crash a party…More so, if it's one of yours!" **The man responded to him.

Eric was known by Elijah as, one none trusty thug, vampire man, who had double crossed him more than once.

"**I could easily throw you out of here!"** Elijah replied to him.

"**You could…but then you would loose your good and impeccable reputation of respected member of the community…You don't want that, do you?"** Erik asked him.

"**I could be discreet…I would not challenge me if I was you!"** Elijah answered to him, before leaving his side.

Charles approached Elijah standing position, while nodding his head to guests.

"**What is he doing here?"** Charles murmured to Elijah.

"**Curiosity, I suppose…But we are never too safe…it's extremely important that Katerina stays in the kitchen, it could be too easily known that she is with me in this manor, and it would come more easily to Klaus's ears."** Elijah added to Charles.

Charles nodded his head to Elijah, adding:

"**Did you receive any news of Eleonore Greenwich?"**

"**She could not be present for the diner part, but she would join me for a late night drink later in the evening…Let me know when she arrived…Make her wait for me in the smaller parlour room." **Elijah informed and asked Charles.

Charles nodded his head, before leaving Elijah side, and directing his walk to the other side of the room.

* * *

><p>Katherine was placing several of the gold plated bowls on large silver trays, while closing her eyes and smelling the wonderful scents coming from them. She had to admit that Elijah had put a lot of details in the conception of the menu. The smell coming from the bowls of soup was delectable.<p>

One of the interim maids for the night entered and approached the counter to take one silver plate in her hands, before lowering her head in her hands and bursting into tears a second later, making Katherine raised her head, giving her a disinterested rapid look. It was enough that she had to stay stuck in the kitchen for the all duration of the banquet; she would not in top of it endure the cry of a hopeless maid. The girl suddenly increased her cries, making Katherine raised her head a second time.

"**What's your problem?"** She finally asked her.

The girl did not answer, but shook her head from right to left, while sweeping the tears away from her face.

"**I'm sorry…I can't hold it anymore…"** She answered Katherine.

"**Well…I wish you would, but obviously, you seem to not be able to…and I'm bored, so what is it, too much work, none polite-impatient guests?"** Katherine asked her.

The girl did not answer her, making Katherine raised her head to look at her, she was crying even more.

"**Get it out, already…Or you'll give me the worst headache in ten minutes…It could only help you!" **Katherine added to the maid.

"**I'm pregnant!"** The girl confessed to her.

"**Well…that is not what I expected…" **Katherine said to the young woman, adding.** "…it's not that bad, is it?"** Katherine asked her.

"**Yes, it is…I stupidly broke up with my boyfriend…and we had a big argument, and he is leaving for Africa today…He accepted a transfer for work…but he doesn't know that I am pregnant…" **The maid explained to Katherine

"**Well…I'm not an expert in love story…far from it…but, you should tell him; when you will see him again…"** Katherine said to her.

"**That's the problem…his plane is taking off tonight…in a little more than two hours, he is probably at the airport right now…"** The young woman explained to Katherine, in a teary voice. **"…And I accepted this job tonight, to have a bit more money, but I can't leave and go to the airport…I have to be in the master dinning room right now…"**

Katherine looked at the young woman with compassion, not that she was really remembering the human emotions behind her cries and turmoil, but she was remembering the way she had felt when she was pregnant back in her human days.

Suddenly, Katherine raised a devious glare on the girl, titling her head with contentment, with a devious smile appearing on her face. As the French expression is saying: Le malheur des uns, fait le bonheur des autres.

"**I could take your place…."** Katherine suggested to her, adding. **"…I'll do your tasks in the master dinning room, and you'll have the time to rush and catch your boyfriend at the airport!" **

"**But…You don't know me, why would you do that? I don't want you to be in trouble for me…"** The young woman replied to Katherine, while sweeping her tears away from her face, and smiling timidly.

"**Don't worry about me…I'm a sucker for the good ending in love story…"** Katherine said to her, with a sour expression on her face. "**I only see one problem…"** She added, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, and looking at the girl from head to toes.

"**What is it?"** The young maid replied to her.

"**How tall are you?"** Katherine asked her.

"**I know I'm very petite…"** The young woman answered her, while blushing.

"**I was thinking minuscule! Obviously, the length of your uniform skirt will probably be at my waist…But I will pull very hard on the fabric to make it appear longer…I guess!"** Katherine said more to herself than anybody else.

"**Oh thank you; thank you…I really don't know how to thank you more than by words?"** The young woman said to her.

"**Well…hurry up and go get change…We don't have a lot of time in front of us!"** Katherine told her, while pushing her toward the direction of the employee's restroom to get change.

Before returning inside the kitchen, putting both of her arms on her waist before smiling deviously…When Katerina Petrova wanted something, she would generally find a way to get it!

* * *

><p>The master dinning room had been decorated with sophistication and tasteful class, a white premium silk tablecloth was place on the length on the extreme big wooded table, where hundreds of guests had been asked to take place on red velvet fabric chair, a red table runner was placed in the middle, and several bottles of premium wine, crystal carafes with water, were strategically place on it. Arrangements of fresh flowers, and candles were finishing the elegant touches. Aligned near the walls, the butlers and maids where present, hands behind their backs, for the needs and demands of the guests.<p>

Elijah had taken his place at the far end of table, and was chatting lightly with his table companions. Charles approached his sitting position, before lowering his upper body, and murmuring in his left ear.

"**Master Elijah, diner can be served…." **

To which Elijah nodded his head, and raised himself on his feet a second later, before taking his crystal glass in his hand, and gently taping the tip of his knife on it.

"**Ladies and gentlemen…Diner will be now served…I hope that you will appreciate the menu that I've chose for you…Please, don't hesitate to ask for anything…"** He said to the present assembly, taking back his sitting position, before being applause by his guests.

Maids entered the master dining room, while carrying in top of their shoulders big silver trays with gold plated bowls of asparagus and caviar soup.

Charles and Elizabeth were strategically placed, watching the smooth running of the dining room operations.

"**So, Elijah…"** Elise asked him, adding. **"…Are you planning to visit your Jamaican estate soon?" **

"**I heard it is exquisite?" **Richard added to Elijah.

Elijah took his silk red napkin in his hands, before putting it on his thighs and responding.

"**It is! Right in front of the ocean…with only the sound of the wind in the palm trees and the water crashing on the sand…A paradise on earth…" **He responded to them, before being served with a bowl of soup.** "Thank you!" **He said to the maid who served him.

"**We should definitely buy a house in the Caribbean, Richard?" **Elise said to her husband, while putting a friendly hand on his forearm, adding in a laugh. **"…Or I could be forced to visit Elijah in Jamaica…"** She added to her husband with a laugh, while turning her head and winking to Elijah, which he ignored her by starting to drink his soup.

Elizabeth reached Charles standing position, before lowering her head near his left ear, murmuring to him.

"**Miss Katherine was supposed to stay in the kitchen, wasn't she?" **

"**Yes…She's been given kitchen duties for the all duration of the banquet, why are you asking me that question, Elizabeth?" **Charles asked her, suddenly suspicious.

"**Because she just entered the dinning room…"** Elizabeth answered him.

Charles facial expression changed, and his skin became whiter than snow, he turned and saw Katherine in a shorter than short version of the maid uniform, her nylon stockings lace garters showing under her skirt, if the term skirt was even appropriate to what she was wearing.

Elijah who was bringing his golden spoon to his mouth, hold his hand in the air, with his mouth wide open, and a shock expression on his face when he noticed her arrival in the dining room.

She approached the table, and lowered her upper body to bring a bowl of soup to a sitting guest, while pulling the fabric of her skirt, in desperation to make fabric appear longer. Several men present were already lurking her with suggestive smiles on their faces.

Elijah put his right hand on top of his eyes, while signing Charles to come toward him, with his left hand.

Charles hurried to join Elijah sitting position at the far edge of the table.

"**Master Elijah?"** He whispered to him.

"**What is she doing here?"** He questioned Charles, in a low whisper, deliberately separating every syllable, while looking in her direction with a mad glare in his eyes.

"**I have no idea, Master Elijah…**" Charles answered him.

"**Find out…and ask her to leave!"** He said angrily to Charles.

Charles nodded his head, before straightening his upper body, and directing his walk toward the opposite side of the table.

This was easier said than done! He thought to himself….And could be entered in the impossible tasks of the evening…Obviously, Master Elijah was still believing that Santa Klaus was existing and that it was him!

It would be obviously easier for him to ask an elephant to leave the room than to ask Miss Katherine to leave!

* * *

><p><strong>As always, I can't wait to read you and answer you all! Thank you my fellow readers!<strong>

**And a special note and thank you to the readers who left me reviews and are not register to the site!**

There are parts of this chapter that I was laughing out loud with tears running on my cheeks! I hope you had a nice time reading it…The banquet is far from over...others palpating adventures will come your way soon!


	9. Invitation to a summer banquet 3

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**Lovely Vero **

**My dear readers: I know you've been waiting for the follow up of the "Invitation to a Summer Banquet"…So was I, believe in that! I've been dealing with very personal issues in my life…and was moving from my apartment to another place…So that is explaining the longer delay than usual. Now, that is why the chapter 9 & 10 of "Invitation to a summer banquet" will now come back to back…I am updating chapter 9 and chapter 10 will follow before I go back to my other stories… So it will be double the pleasure for all of you in a shorter period of time! And, was the wait worth it? OH YES! LOL! Enjoy! ;) (I've been listening to Mambo #5 – From Lou Bega while writing this chapter…It was the perfect song for the first part of this crazy evening!)**

* * *

><p><strong>SMALL RECAP OF CHAPTER 8<strong>

Elizabeth reached Charles standing position, before lowering her head near his left ear, murmuring to him.

"**Miss ****Katherine ****was ****supposed ****to ****stay ****in ****the ****kitchen, ****wasn't ****she?"**

"**Yes****…****She's ****been ****given ****kitchen ****duties ****for ****the ****all ****duration ****of ****the ****banquet, ****why ****are ****you ****asking ****me ****that ****question, ****Elizabeth?"**Charles asked her, suddenly suspicious.

"**Because ****she ****just ****entered ****the ****dinning ****room****…****"** Elizabeth answered him.

Charles facial expression changed, and his skin became whiter than snow, he turned and saw Katherine in a shorter than short version of the maid uniform, her nylon stockings lace garters showing under her skirt, if the term skirt was even appropriate to what she was wearing.

Elijah who was bringing his golden spoon to his mouth, hold his hand in the air, with his mouth wide open, and a shock expression on his face when he noticed her arrival in the dining room.

She approached the table, and lowered her upper body to bring a bowl of soup to a sitting guest, while pulling the fabric of her skirt, in desperation to make fabric appear longer. Several men present were already lurking her with suggestive smiles on their faces.

Elijah put his right hand on top of his eyes, while signing Charles to come toward him, with his left hand.

Charles hurried to join Elijah sitting position at the far edge of the table.

"**Master ****Elijah?"** He whispered to him.

"**What ****is ****she ****doing ****here?"** He questioned Charles, in a low whisper, deliberately separating every syllable, while looking in her direction with a mad glare in his eyes.

"**I ****have ****no ****idea, ****Master ****Elijah****…**" Charles answered him.

"**Find ****out****…****and ****ask ****her ****to ****leave!"** He said angrily to Charles.

Charles nodded his head, before straightening his upper body, and directing his walk toward the opposite side of the table.

This was easier said than done! He thought to himself….And could be entered in the impossible tasks of the evening…Obviously, Master Elijah was still believing that Santa Klaus was existing and that it was him!

It would be obviously easier for him to ask an elephant to leave the room than to ask Miss Katherine to leave!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

**INVITATION TO A SUMMER BANQUET **

**- PART 3 -**

* * *

><p>Katherine took a rapid glimpse at the far right edge of the table, before turning her head straight in front of her after noticing his cold as ice stare directed at her, she could suddenly feel shivers of fear passing through her all body. She had seen him several times angry, but never that angry before…Elijah had told her to not go against his order, and she was doing exactly the contrary!<p>

Elise witnessed the look that Elijah was giving Katherine. She delicately passed her napkin on her red lips, before lowering her head near his right ear, before murmuring to him.

"**Not enough money to pay the entire fabric for your maids uniforms, my dear friend?"**

"**Mm…." **Elijah mumbled, while turning his head to look at Elise in the eyes, with a sadistic smile on his lips, before lowering his head near her left ear. **"Maybe not enough money for their uniforms, but certainly enough money to have a unfaithful woman like you in my bed, under her husband nose, would you say I'm right, my dear?" **He whispered very harshly and coldly to her, making her jump on her chair with surprise of his harsh response, while lowering her head and blushing, before raising her head and answering him in a murmur:

"**I don't remember the last time I was in your bed, Elijah!" **

Katherine put another bowl of soup in front of a guest, while timidly smiling to the man.

"**Well…Good evening, lovely thing!"** The elderly man whispered to her, while sliding his stare from her legs garters to her deep neckline, staring at her feminine assets, with his wife at his side, who was madly witnessing the exchange.

"**Enjoy your meal, Madam, Sir!"** Katherine added politely to them, while putting a bowl of soup in front of the man's wife, before making a reverence.

"**Miss Katherine, a word with you, if I may?" **Charles whispered to Katherine's left ear, before pulling her away from the guests table, while putting his white right glove hand on her left forearm, and bringing her toward a farther corner of the master dinning room.

"**But you may, my dear Charles…" **Katherine answered him, while imitating his tone of voice, adding.** "Why are you talking to me like you're having a hot potato in your mouth, more than usual I mean….What's up?" **Katherine asked him, while pulling on her skirt.

"**What's up?"** Charles whispered angrily to her, adding. **"…Miss Katherine, between having your head snapped away from the rest of your body or your heart ripped away from your chest, do you have a last request before dying?" **Charles asked her with wide open eyes.

"**Ohhhhh…You are so melodramatic Charles…"** Katherine replied to him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest and raising her eyes to the ceiling, before turning her stare to look at Elijah who was staring at them like a wild coyote would before eating its prey alive. **"Ok, the "Master" seems a bit upset…but it will pass…"** She said to him, while shaking her right hand in front of him.

"**It will pass? Yes! Like my next Christmas bonus will pass under my nose if I am not dragging you out of this room!"** Charles screamed at her.

"**Charles!"** Katherine warned him**. "Lowered your voice, the guests are starting to look at you! Where are you manners?"** Katherine mockingly said to him.

"**My manners…."** Charles exclaimed, while closing his eyes and fists and counting to ten, adding. **"Miss KATHERINE! You showed yourself in the master dinning room, after being specifically ordered to stay in the kitchen, and in top of this….In a Chicago movie outfit! Is there a logical explanation to this?"**

"**Well…Actually, my dear Charles….Yes there is an explanation! Chicago? Really…I always thought I could pull Katherine Zelta Jones role…" **She started mumbling to him, while placing a hand on her waist, and playing with a strand of her hair with her other hand, adding after seeing him stare at her with angry wide open eyes. **"Right…The explanation…One of the girls had to leave! So I had not other choice but to take her place…." **She explained to him, while shrugging her shoulders.

"**What do you mean one of the maids had left?" **Charles asked her.

"**The girl find out she was pregnant, and she was crying in the kitchen…Yady yady….Then she mumbled something about her boyfriend leaving for a foreign country…And then she left for the airport!"** She explained to Charles.

"**Why did you not inform me of this little problem before showing half naked with this ridiculous, outrageous short maid uniform in the diner room, Miss Katherine?"** Charles asked her, while putting his hands on each side of his waist, with rosy cheeks coming from his rising blood pressure.

"**Well there was no time for that, obviously…And hey! Not my fault if the girl was ridiculously petite and that I am taller!"** Katherine replied to him. **"Now you are getting all red and everything…I would relax if I was you…I'm here…Obviously, everybody had seen me…so, better make the best of it, would you say?"** Katherine asked him, while shrugging her shoulders and winking an eye.

"**And what am I suppose to say to Master Elijah, Miss Katherine?"** He asked her with wide open eyes.

Katherine turned her head to take a glimpse at Elijah. He was still staring at them with a more than angry expression on his face.

"**I don't know…Find something! But what ever you tell him, add to him to put a smile on his face…He's killing his own party right now!"** Katherine replied to him. **"Now…I have the second round of plates to go pick up in the kitchen…" **She said, before leaving Charles speechless and froze on the spot.

Charles raised his sight at Elijah's direction before shrugging his shoulders in pure desperation, while Elijah raised his eyes to the ceiling, while passing a quick hand on his hair and throwing his napkin on the table. He should have known that she would stay! She was the most stubborn, none obeying, exasperating woman he had ever met in his entire long and never ending life! And….And…He liked it for God sake! He had to obviously admit to himself that she was putting a wild fire in him! Yes! That stubborn, none obeying, exasperating woman made him feel alive again!

* * *

><p>Desserts, an exquisite, light and fluffy "creme brulee", had just been served to all the guests; and all the maids were standing now near the dinning room walls, with their hands crossed behind their backs…all except one, Katherine Petrova, who was still pulling her skirt down, with Charles beside her, who was raising his eyes to the ceiling, before putting his right glove hand on his mouth to hide his amusement.<p>

"**I really can't see what is so amusing to you?"** Katherine murmured to him.

"**Miss Katherine, but you are the sunshine of my rainy days, the cherry on top of my sunday ice cream…"** Charles whispered back to her.

"**Really, you are mocking me now?"** Katherine asked him, adding. **"Five minutes ago. You were almost having a heart attack because I was standing in the dining room and now you're just mocking me?" **

"**Well…Five minutes ago, I did not see the extreme irony of the present situation! Now, suddenly, I have seen the light…"** He said, while holding his laughter.

Elizabeth reached their standing position, in a funny, none steady, and none usual walk, before whispering to Katherine.

"**Miss Katherine…"** She addressed Katherine, in a whisper and a laughing voice, adding. **"…I think it is very sweet what you did, taking the place of a young girl in need…and I also think that you did a excellent job while serving the guests...If it was not for your…well…How can I put it properly…"** Elizabeth coughed before continuing "…**None appropriate length of skirt, everything would have been perfect!"** She added with a smile and a wink of an eye.

"**Well thank you Elizabeth!"** Katherine murmured to her, while addressing herself to Charles. **"…At least someone is thankful to me!"**

"**Oh, I don't doubt that Master Elijah will be very grateful to you also…." **Charles whispered to them, while mocking Katherine and smiling heavenly.

"**Oh nonsense, Mister Charles…"** Elizabeth replied to him, with a smile, while putting a hand on the wall to help her stand. **"…Master Elijah would not be angry at Miss Katherine….He's a sweetheart, he was just a bit surprised, that is all! Weren't we all? He seems to have a good time now with Miss Elise and her husband …He's laughing…Plus, Miss Katherine, you are a beautiful woman, you gave a nice view to many men tonight, even Master Elijah was looking at your legs…I saw him, you know…"** Elizabeth whispered to her, while hiccoughing, and starting to laugh.

Katherine and Charles looked at her with wide opened eyes, noticing that something was in fact strange with Elizabeth attitude.

"**He was?"** Katherine asked her, while turning her head to look at Charles, who was fixating his stare on Elizabeth.

"**Oh completely, Miss Katherine…Like the young crowd say these days, he was checking you out!"** Elizabeth added to her in a whisper, while elbowing Katherine in the ribs.

"**Elizabeth?"** Charles called her, with an astonished look on his face, adding. **"Did you drink?"**

"**I'm not drunk! If it is what you are implying…"** Elizabeth murmured to him, while hiccoughing a second time, adding. **"…I took a sip or two of champagne to relax, Mister Charles, I was very nervous about this party…You know…And with all that are happening in my life…."**

Katherine could not hold it any longer, she busted silently into laughter, before putting her right hand on her mouth to hold her hilarity.

"**More like a couple of glasses…." **Katherine whispered, in a laughing voice, to Charles.** "Oh Charles…I think I see the light now! Yes …I do!"** Katherine added to him, while winking to him, and elbowing him also in the ribs. **"That is good that you drank Elizabeth…Dead husband…Sorry, Almost dead husband and all, and the nervousness of the party…you need it to relax, woman!"** Katherine added to her, while Charles was closing his eyes in complete disbelieve.

"**Elizabeth, you need to go lie down!"** He whispered to her, while taking a few steps to reach her standing position.

"**I don't need to go lie down, Mister Charles, I'm perfectly sobered…Just a bit tipsy!"** She whispered in laughter to him, before gently pushing him away from her.

"**See!"** Katherine added mockingly to him. **" ..She's ok…She is just a happier version of herself!" **

"**Miss Katherine, if you could please stop talking for 5 minutes!" **Charles asked her, while passing a nervous hand on his face, making Katherine giggling more.

Elijah had risen on his legs a few seconds before, and had taken his crystal glass in his hands before gently hit it with the handle of his silver knife, creating a silence in the room in a matter of minutes.

"**I hope that every single one of you have enjoyed your meal…I wanted to take time to announce my contribution to the Saint-Joseph Orphanage and encourage all of you to do the same...I…." **Elijah started saying to the present assembly, before lowering his head, before getting a grip on himself and continuing.** "…I don't have the chance to have my family with me at this moment…And I can only relate on the loneliness of all these poor children that had lost their entire family, in my name and for them…be generous!" **He concluded before being applause by his guests.

Charles noticed that Katherine had lowered her head during Master Elijah's speech, while closing her fists in anger, in a empty stare of the floor.

"**Miss Katherine?" ** Charles called her.

"**Yes…"** She answered him, while raising her head, showing a second later a more relax expression on her face. **"…Sorry, I lost myself for one second, memory of a lost family, I guess…" **She simply replied to Charles.

"**I'm sorry"** They heard a man's voice addressed the assembly after Elijah. **"If you don't mind me interrupting you, my dear Elijah…"** Richard, the husband of Elise asked him, adding. **"…I would like to say a word in front of all of you, to my beautiful, loving and trustworthy wife, Elise…" **

"**You got to be kidding me…." **Katherine exclaimed, while raising her eyes to the ceiling.

"**Miss Katherine, keep it quiet!" **Charles whispered to her.

"**I am wondering what this is all about…don't you, Miss Katherine?"** Elizabeth whispered in Katherine's right ear.

"**I still have the "beautiful, loving and trustworthy wife" part stuck in my throat!"** Katherine added to them, with a disgust expression on her face.

"**Please, I give you my blessing, Richard!"** Elijah responded to the man, whit a gesture of his hand, while taking his sitting position.

"**Charles, what are you doing?" **Elise asked her husband, while putting her right hand on his upper arm.

"**It's ok, my dear…."** Richard replied to his wife, while putting a friendly hand on hers, before reaching for his glass of wine and raising it in the air. **"…I wanted to say my gratitude to my beautiful wife, who's present at my side tonight…For you support, and your undying love, my dear Elise, but most of all to praise your commitment, and wish you one day in advance a happy birthday!" **

Exclamations of surprise were heard between the guests, before hearing applause. Suddenly, the lights went off in the dining room…Causing another reactions of surprises.

"**Please! Don't be afraid….Remain sited…"** Elijah asked of his guests. **"…Everything is under control!" **He added to them, before hearing the door of the dinning room open by two butlers, and a gigantesque birthday cake lighted up with candles, brought on a rolling table, creating laughter and even more applause.

"**Oh…."** Elise exclaimed, while rising in a standing position, with a hand on her chest. "**Charles, my dear husband…and Elijah, you remembered, I'm so touch!"** Elise exclaimed, before kissing her husband on the cheeks.

"**Happy birthday, Elise…."** Elijah added to her, while nodding his head.

"**Burk!"** Katherine, who was witnessing this sickening theatrical scene, mumbled in her teeth. **"I think, I'm going to throw up!"**

"**Well…"** Charles whispered to her, in a mocking tone of voice, while clapping his hands in unison with the others guests present. **"…Isn't it you who wanted to be present to this summer banquet, Miss Katherine?" **

"**Oh, just shut up, Charles!"** She replied to him.

"**But this is not the real surprise!"** Richard exclaimed to Elise and the guests. "**I know that I often leave you all alone my dear, because of my work and traveling, and I wanted for you to not be alone anymore…" **He added to his wife, while making a hand gesture to order one of the butlers to bring something inside the dinning room. A second later, the butler entered the dinning room with a small puppy in his arms, who was wearing a big red bow around its neck, creating a different range of **"Ohhhh"** and **"Ahhhhh"** of exclamations between the guests present. The butler walked toward Elise, before putting the puppy in her hands.

"**Oh, Charles…It's adorable!"** She exclaimed to his husband, while caressing the puppy's head.

"**I'm so glad you like it, Elise, again…Happy birthday!" **He exclaimed to her, while raising his glass in the air, before hearing a global **"Happy birthday!"**

"**The puppy has zero chance of staying alive in the hands of that witchy bitch!"** Katherine whispered to Charles, adding. **"…Before the end of the week, she will change that poor animal to a frog!' **

"**Miss Katherine…Behave yourself!" **Charles ordered her.

The silence came back in the dinning room; Elise turned and looked at all the guests present at the table.

"**Well...I should name that little thing….Don't you all think?"** She addressed herself to all the guests, before looking at its face. **"You will be my companion during my lonely nights…"** She added to the assembly, in an impeccable theatrical speech, continuing. **"…I think I will name you: Max!" **

A strong burst of laughter came from the left side of the dinning room, making all the guests turned on their chairs and seeking the source of this loud outburst, while Charles and Elizabeth turned to look at Katherine with wide open eyes.

"**Miss Katherine!"** Charles whispered angrily to Katherine, adding. **"Stop this right away!" **

"**I can't!"** Katherine replied to Charles, while holding her belly and laughing none stop, and to not help Charles's cause, Elizabeth in all nervousness, had started to laugh with Katherine.

Charles raised his stare to look at Elijah's sitting position at the table, only to see him with his right elbow placed on the table, while his right hand was hiding his face. This was not a good sign! He must be furious!

Elise looked at Elijah, while exclaiming:

"**I really don't see the hilarity in this? And your maid is none respectful toward your guests, Elijah? Maybe you could in lighting me? I don't see what is so funny in naming my new companion: Max!"** She busted into anger.

Katherine detached her back from her wall position, taking a few steps toward the dinning room table, making a reverence in front of Elise before addressing herself to her.

"**I am so sorry, Madam, please forgive me!" **She said to Elise, before leaving the dinning room, with a hand placed on her mouth to hold her laughter.

"**Elijah, for God sake, you should say something!" **Elise screamed to him.

"**Elise! Control yourself!" **Richard said to his wife, while grabbing her right arm.** "…Laughing is not a public offence!" **

"**In this case, it is!" **Elise replied angrily to her husband.

Elijah dropped his hand on the table, away from his face, finally showing to his guests his own hiding laughter.

"**You too…For God sake…What is the hilarity in all of this?" **She angrily asked him.

"**Oh this is a nightmare!" **Charles exclaimed in a whisper to Elizabeth, while putting both of his hands on each side of his waist.

"**Mister Charles, what is this all about?"** Elizabeth asked Charles, in laughter herself.

"**For once, I have absolutely no idea, my dear Elizabeth!"** Charles responded to her.

"**I'm so sorry Elise! Please accept my deepest apology in the name of my maids staff…"** Elijah said to her, while rising on his feet, and trying to hold his laughter, adding. **"Actually…It is an inside joke in the Manor, nothing you should be concern about, I can assure you!" **He added to her, before addressing its guests.** "Please, I invite everybody to enjoy the birthday cake, followed by a nice night walk outside the manor to make you digest, or, perhaps a digestive liquor and cigars in the parlour/ballroom afterward…I will meet all of you for the dance part of the evening!" **He finished explaining, before nodding his head and directing his walk outside the master dinning room.

"**If I was Miss Katherine, I would hide in a mouse hole right now!" **Elizabeth said to Charles, while winking an eye at him.

Yes! It was a fact! Charles thought…Miss Katherine should hide herself and more of a fact that Elizabeth was a bit drunk! And even if he was not suppose to feel this way about her…He felt that he liked this relaxed side of her!

* * *

><p>Katherine knew that he was walking behind her in the basement corridor; she could feel him hunting her with each of her steps. She opened the laundry room, before closing the door behind her, stepping backward before finally reaching the wall behind her back. The door open in a big noise, he entered inside, before slapping the door behind him.<p>

He started to walk back and forth, with his hands placed on each side of his waist while staring at her with a murderous look in his eyes.

"**I could strangle you right now, Katerina!"** He said angrily to her, while stopping in front of her.

"**Well….What for? You were laughing also, I saw it!"** She replied to him, in her own defence, with a hand gesture.

"**Don't even speak to me while I am talking to you…**" He screamed, while pointing a finger at her. **"Where do I start, Katerina…First, You disobeyed my direct orders to stay put in the kitchen…" **He firstly screamed at her.

"**Well…Technically, I was not disobeying you, Elijah…I helped one of your maid leave for an emergency…And I replaced her in the dinning room…You should be grateful to me!"** She tried to explain to him, while playing nervously with a strand of her hair.

"**Oh, I'll be grateful alright, and could you keep silent, Katerina!"** He said her, while continuing pacing back and forth. **"Secondly, you presented yourself in the dining room almost naked, and you had put Charles in a despicable awkward situation!" **He secondly said to her.

"**Well…The girl that I had to borrow the maid uniform from, was extremely petite…and….As for Charles, it is you who put him in that situation in the first place!"** She tried to explain to him once again.

"**Shhh…I said not a word!"** He repeated to her, adding. **"Thirdly, you laughed out loud in front, and while insulting, one of my guest!" **

"**Pff…Witchy Elise, you can't be serious – MASTER!" **She mockingly answered him, while putting emphasize on the "Master" part of her sentence, adding.** "You were hiding your own laughter behind your hand, coward!" **Katherine replied to him, her hands place on each side on her waist, in a confrontation gesture.

"**Did you just called me coward….You really want to go there, Katerina?"** He angrily asked her.

"**No…Yes…Well, you are right Master, I am a bad, bad girl, and I should be punished! You want to spank me again I suppose?"** She replied to him, while raising her head at a near inch of his, looking at him straight in the eyes.

"**And you are mocking me in top of everything, woman!"** He replied angrily to her, while putting his hands on the wall, on each side of her head. **"Don't tempt me, Katerina!" **

"**Tempt you for what exactly, Elijah?"** She replied to Elijah, while keeping her angry stare in his, with the biggest playful smile on her face, before sliding her right hand in top of his tuxedo vest, while caressing his chest slowly, before lowering her hand to reach his tuxedo trouser belt. **"Is it that maybe…Another Max wants to make his entrance tonight?"** She murmured to him, while keeping her eyes locked with his.

Elijah closed his eyes, before counting slowly to ten.

"**You want to play that game again, Katerina…You are mine, and you should obey me!"** He said to her, moving his hands from the wall, lowering them on each side of her waist, while sliding them slowly on her thighs to reach the short bottom of her skirt, raising abruptly the fabric on her waist, and grabbing her bottom in firm grip of his hands. **"I hate you woman…"** He added in an angry and passionate whisper to her. **"…You wanted the floor earlier…Maybe I should give in to your sexual needs?"**

"**I hate you too…"** She whispered to him, in a short breath, adding. "…**The floor is suiting me – MASTER - and it would be your own sexual needs that you would give in to!"** She busted in anger into his face.

It did not take him long for him to react by lowering his head, crashing his mouth on hers, while raising one of his hands in her hair, to bring her even closer. She opened her mouth to him, letting him take what he thought was his to begin with, interlacing his tongue with hers, in a passionate kiss. The urgency of their need for each other was driving them over the edge of passion…She raised her two hands on his chest, before reaching his neck, grabbing and caressing his hair, sliding rapidly his tuxedo vest on his arms, before seeing him detach himself of their embrace to throw it on the floor, reaching to grab her by the waist one second later, crashing his mouth back on hers, while sliding his hands on her bottom under her panties. She opened the button of his sleeveless jacket, before throwing it on the floor with the previous one, while feeling her silk panties sliding on her legs and being pushed down on the floor. She then frantically opened the button of his silk shirt, sliding it open with her hands on his chest, before putting her lips on his skin, sliding the tip of her tongue on his muscular abs, in an upward movement, before kissing the tender part of his neck. He angrily turned her around, while keeping her back glued to his bare chest, sliding his hands to open her maid shirt, in a slow, calculated gesture.

"**Elijah…"** She murmured to him, while lowering her head on his left shoulder, and putting her hands on his upper arms, feeling every of his muscles tighten under his skin, with each of his movement.

He opened the last button, before sliding her shirt open, snapping the attach of her bra, sliding apart the lace cups, before cupping with both of his hands the perfect roundness of her breasts. She rose her right hand to grab the back of his neck while lowering his head toward hers, kissing him tenderly on the lips.

"**What are you doing to me, Katerina?"** He whispered in top of her lips, while playing erotically with her sensible nipples.

"**If it is only the half that you are doing to me…You are a lucky man!"** She replied to him with a timid smile, before kissing him again.

He raised her in his arms, before lowering them on the floor, sitting her on him, while sliding his hands, under her open shirt, on her back, in a slow and sensual caress, sliding his mouth on her neck to kiss her tender skin.

She lowered her hands on his chest, under the open shirt, reaching for his belt, before opening it, and sliding the zipper of his trouser down, rubbing her hand on his hard erected length, over his boxer, before pushing the elastic down, letting it free from its fabric imprisonment, and after sliding her legs on each side of his pelvic bone, she felt him grab each side of her hips, repositioning himself to enter her wetness, in a slow movement, making her close her eyes, and mumbled incoherent sounds of pleasure, before feeling him fill her entirely, in a last good push.

"**Open your eyes, love…"** Elijah whispered to her, while sliding her hair away from her face.

She slowly opened her eyes, before plunging her stare in his.

"**You're mine Katerina, you're mine…Never forget that!"** He repeated to a speechless Katherine, before crashing his mouth on hers, grabbing her waist with one hand, while pushing her closer to his chest with the other, and rocking her world with insane in and out movements inside of her, making her crash in his arms, while screaming his name repeatedly from the top of her lungs.

The two lovers, not aware of the woman shadow who was standing behind their closed door, her arms crossed in front of her chest, while closing her fists in anger, with each scream of pleasure heard from Katherine's mouth.

The woman approached the door, turned the lock of the door, before walking away.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Get dressed, Katerina…"<strong> Elijah ordered her, in a bossy tone of voice, while closing the last button of his satin shirt, putting his silk tie on, and dressing himself with his sleeveless jacket.

"**That is what I'm doing, Master…"** Katherine answered him in a mocking voice, while passing her tongue to him in his back.

"**See, when you behaving like a childish woman...Like you just did in my back now…I have the urge to put my hands around your pretty little neck! So, stop acting like one!" **He said to her, before adding.** "You think you'll be able to behave till the end of this evening?"** He asked her, while dressing himself with his tuxedo vest.

"**You think you'll be able to not order me around like I am five till the end of this evening?"** She asked him in return.

"**It's a summer banquet, not a miracle one!"** He mockingly answered her, while reaching to grab her left wrist, bringing her in full contact with his body, while forcefully encircling her waist. **"If you behave I could be extra nice to you afterward…"** He whispered to her, while sliding his lips on her left cheek, creating shivers in her all body.

"**I am not so easily persuaded to obey you…."** She answered him as a tease.

"**Mm…."** He mumbled in her left ear, while biting it gently. **"…I could show you the contrary…" **He said to her. **"Now…Behave, woman!" **He added,before slapping her bottom with his right hand, and laughing.

"**Hey!"** She exclaimed, outraged by his behaviour.

He smiled at her, before closing one last button to his tuxedo, and putting his hand on the door handle, while noticing that it was not turning.

"**Why is it locked?"** He said, while thinking out loud.

"**It can't be locked?"** Katherine responded to him, while approaching the door, and trying to turn the handle herself. **"For it to be locked, somebody would have done it in the other side of the door!"**

"**But it is, Katerina!" **He exclaimed, while pacing back and forth, and passing a nervous hand on his hair.** "I have to get out of here to meet her; I have to talk to her! And this stupid basement door is made in steel! No way for me to go through it!" **

"**Meet her?" **Katherine asked him, while raising one of her eyebrows.

Elijah raised his eyes on Katherine, while dismissing her question with a hand gesture, while continuing to pace back and forth.

"**Right…Not like you will share anything with me…And I guess you are thinking that I am responsible for you being stuck in here also?"** Katherine said to him.

"**Well…Now that you are mentioning it, Katerina!"** He replied to her, while stopping his pace, and looking at her with a mad expression on his face.

"**Well…Whoever this "HER" guest is…It seems important to you…So, there is a small vent window, Elijah…If you raise me…I'll be able to open it and pass through it…Then I will come and open the door for you…" **She said to him, while approaching the wall, and raising her sight to look at it.

Elijah looked at Katherine, thinking that giving his trust to Katherine would be a first for him, while finally nodding his head in approval.

"**Ok!"** He said to her, while getting rid of his Tuxedo jacket, and rolling the sleeves of his silk shirt on his upper arms, before crossing his fingers together and showing her go climb into his hands.

Katherine climbed, helped by Elijah, and with a vampire pushed was able to reached the small vent window, she unlocked it, before pushing it hard, finally seeing the darkness of the night in front of her eyes.

"**Now…"** She said to him.** "…pushed me one more time, I think I am thin enough to pass through it."** Elijah pushed her one last time, and she reached the other side of the window, while rolling on the grass, rose on her feet a second later, while pulling down her mini skirt, straightening her upper body and sight, before noticing the speechless small group of guests in front of her standing position.

"**Oh…Good evening…Don't mind me….Continue you walk!"** She said to the small group, before running toward the back door kitchen, opening the door, and rushing inside before taking the stairs and reaching the laundry room. The door was actually locked from the outside with the old, none use anymore, lock! She opened the door, before pushing it; Elijah was standing in front of her in the other side, with his tuxedo jacket in his left hand.

"**Thank you!"** He said to her, while getting out of the room, and dressing himself. **"Now go back to the kitchen!"** He ordered her, with a hand gesture.

"**That is your thank you to me for saving your ass?"** She exclaimed, while putting each of her hands on her waist.

"**Now Katerina…"** He screamed at her.

"**Damn you…" **She replied to him, while stamping her feet.

"**Damn me?"** He repeated to her, while copying her standing position with both his hands on his waist.

"**Ok, Master!"** She replied angrily to him, before turning and walking toward the kitchen. **"You have no idea how much I despite you right now!" **She mumbled in her teeth, making him smile and laugh, before walking toward the parlour room.

More urgent matter was waiting for him now, in the name of: ** Eleonore Greenwich.**

* * *

><p>Katherine entered the kitchen, to find it empty at that present moment. She reached the kitchen counter, and took a forgotten glass of champagne in her hands, before putting it at her lips, and drinking it in a gulp.<p>

"**So?"** She heard a feminine voice call her. **"You have him enrol around your little finger, haven't you? Like the whore that you are!" **

Katherine slowly turned to face Elise who was standing at the other side of the kitchen counter, while holding herself a glass of champagne in her right hand.

"**I don't want to cause any problem tonight, Elise…Just leave me alone!"** Katherine replied to her.

Elise took a few steps toward Katherine standing position.

"**I will leave you alone when you will give back what is mine!"** She angrily screamed at Katherine, before throwing her glass of champagne in Katherine's face.

* * *

><p><strong>As always, I can't wait to read you all!<strong>

**Thank you my fellow readers for your undying love of this story! **

You have no idea the amount of laughter I had while writing this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it!


	10. Invitation to a summer banquet 4

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**Lovely Vero **

**Writer's note: Fasten your seatbelts my dear readers…And enjoy these twenty-five pages chapter!**

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>And at the end of the night….<strong>_

_**With your hand in mine, **_

_**You will feel your heart beating again."**_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

**INVITATION TO A SUMMER BANQUET **

**- FINAL PART 4 -**

* * *

><p>Katherine entered the kitchen, to find it empty at that present moment. She reached the kitchen counter, and took a forgotten glass of champagne in her hands, before putting it at her lips, and drinking it in a gulp.<p>

"**So?"** She heard a feminine voice call her. **"You have him enrol around your little finger, haven't you? Like the whore that you are!" **

Katherine slowly turned to face Elise who was standing at the other side of the kitchen counter, while holding herself a glass of champagne in her right hand.

"**I don't want to cause any problem tonight, Elise…Just leave me alone!"** Katherine replied to her.

Elise took a few steps toward Katherine standing position.

"**I will leave you alone when you will give back what is mine!"** She angrily screamed at Katherine, before throwing her glass of champagne in Katherine's face.

**ooOoo**

Katherine remained motionless for a split second, before reaching for a kitchen towel placed on the counter, while drying her face with it, and raising her angry stare at Elise one minute later.

"**I will let slide what just happen, Elise…Now, get out of the kitchen!"** She warned her, while raising her voice. **"…Before I loose my temper for good!" **

"**I'll fight for him, you hear me…with my nails scratching you pretty whore face…He's mine…he's been for a long time, so hands off, little whore!" **Elise frantically screamed at her.

"**Ok!"** Katherine mumbled angrily in her teeth, trying to keep her calm, while closing her fists with anger. **"If you are not leaving, I will!**" She added while taking a few steps to leave the kitchen, before being pushed by a supernatural force on the opposite side of the kitchen, hitting the wall, and falling down on the floor, she raised her sight, before raising on her feet in her vampire speed. **"You ask for it, bitch!"** She exclaimed to Elise, before reaching her in a slip second, grabbing her forcefully by her left arm, before turning it in her back, while grabbing Elise's hair in a firm grip, pulling her head backward, before pushing it violently and hurtfully on the kitchen Island counter, before reaching for the a bucket of ice and let the entire of its content on her assailant's head, hearing screams, pain and anger coming from Elise's mouth.

"**Ya…You like that…Aren't you, Bitch?"** Katherine whispered near Elise's left ear. **"Maybe it will put a fresh new and more intelligent way of thinking in your head, but I highly doubt it, stupid mortal witch!"**

"**Fucking whore…."** Elise screamed from the top of her lungs, before closing her eyes, and focusing on her witch power.

Katherine lowered her head, while feeling a sharp pain hitting her temples, before loosing her strength on the physical grip she had on the witch. Elise took this opportunity, to free herself, while pushing Katherine, toward the wall. She then transformed by changing the colour of her eyes into white ones, and directing her stare toward the industrial stove, raising flames from it, opening her right hand in trance, before throwing balls of fire in direction of Katherine. Katherine was able to roll on the floor in her vampire speed, while avoiding these balls of flames, who where coming at her, from everywhere.

"**You know what bitch?"** Katherine screamed at her, while getting on her feet, and avoiding the flying arrows. **"Men who entered the bed of Katerina Petrova could never enjoy another woman but me…And that is including Elijah! So, let's put it in words that you will understand: He wants to be mine!" **She angrily screamed at Elise, before reaching Elise in her vampire speed, grabbing her head by surprise, before changing into her vampire face, and lowering her fangs near Elise's neck.

"**Miss Katherine…No!"** She heard Charles screaming at her, as an order, while noticing him in the kitchen entrance. **"Not in this manor….NEVER! Let her go, now!"** He ordered her.

Katherine raised her eyes on Charles, before dropping Elise body on the floor with a good push, while turning to close her eyes, and make her human face come back.

"**Are you ok, Ms. Elise?"** Charles asked Elise, while kneeling near her, and helping her standing up.

"**I'm ok. Don't touch me! She's an animal…I want Elijah to know what she just did to me….If you don't tell him, I will…mark my words on this!" **She said to Charles, while getting on her feet, pushing him out of her way, and leaving the kitchen.

"**Miss Katherine…"** Charles asked her. **"Are you ok?"**

Katherine turned to look at him, while nodding her head in approval.

"**I…I did not wish for this to happen, Charles…She attacked me first…I wanted to leave the kitchen, but…"** Katherine tried to explain to him, in a lower voice, while several maids were entering the kitchen.

"**Miss Katherine…"** He tried to cut her, without being able to succeed.

"**But, she was pushing my buttons, Charles…And she brought up her **_witchy_** magic, and I had to defend myself against her!"** She continued explaining to him.

"**Miss Katherine!"** He screamed at her, making the maids startling, and look at him, which he dismissed with a hand gesture. **"Ladies, run along!"** He ordered her to do, before turning his sight back at Katherine. **"I believe you!"** He honestly told her.

"**You do?" **She whispered to him in shock. Nobody ever believed in her in all her vampire life. She felt tears filling her eyes, but she shook her head to make them disappear.

"**Miss Katherine! Don't you realize, that one of the reasons Master Elijah wanted for you to stay put in the kitchen, was Ms. Elise!"** Charles explained to Katherine. **"Mr. Elise can be unstable, and therefore an extremely dangerous witch! She is not in balance with the nature…It is not the first time I witnessed it!"** He confirmed to her.

"**What is he seeing in that bitch, anyway?"** She lashed out at Charles.

"**Ask him?"** Charles responded mockingly to her, while crossing his arms on his chest.

"**No!"** Katherine answered him, pouting and copying Charles while crossing her own arms on her chest. **"It is not my business; the kind of low life whore is putting in his bed…"**

Charles raised his eyes to the ceiling, before putting a hand on his mouth, to hide his growing need to laugh.

"**What?"** Katherine exclaimed, while looking at him.

"**Not a thing Miss Katherine…I just thought that you were more intelligent than this…I just observed something that you did not obviously..." **He mumbled in his teeth, while putting both of his hands crossed in his back. "**I don't want to bother you with this…"**

"**What kind of an observation?"** She asked him, suddenly interested of knowing.

"**If, and I say if, because obviously, the personal life of Master Elijah is not my business…."** Charles started explaining, making Katherine rolled her eyes, like this was true! **"…Miss Elise would still be …"** Charles coughed several times, adding. **"…In a personal and private relationship with Master Elijah, why would she jump at your throat that way? She wouldn't have any reason for it? Don't you think, Miss Katherine?" **

Katherine lowered her head two seconds, before raising her stare with surprise back at Charles.

"**Now …Don't let this stupid observation bother you too much…"** He added to her, with a sarcastic smile on his face, while slowly directing his walk toward the kitchen exit. **"And, please Miss Katherine, stay put till the end of the evening…For our sake and most of all yours…"** He added to her before leaving the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Elijah directed his walk toward his parlour room, while dusting off his tuxedo vest.<p>

"**You know, my dear Elijah…Your choice of guests for this evening, is the most intriguing to me …"** Eric, the thug vampire said to him, leaning the left side of his body on the wall, while sipping a glass of Brandy.

"**I thought you had left, Eric…Not your kind of party…Not enough blood spread on the walls, or jewellery and money stolen, or woman that could interest you for a sexual encounter…You won't find anything interesting for you in here…If I was you, I would leave!"** Elijah replied to him, sliding his hands in his trousers pockets, while approaching his enemy standing position and locking his stare in Eric's eyes.

"**You know which guest on your list surprised me the most, my dear Elijah?"** Eric said to him, while ignoring Elijah's warning. **"The lady who just entered the front entrance of your Manor, and was escorted to your parlour room, a very elegant, elderly woman, I could swore that it was the one and only: Eleonore Greenwich? But, why would you want a meeting with one of the most powerful worldwide witch? That is the real question, isn't it my friend?" **Eric said to Elijah, while putting his right hand on Elijah's left shoulder.

"**Get out of my house, Eric!"** Eliljah said to him, while getting rid of Eric's hand on his shoulder, before continuing his walk toward the parlour room.

* * *

><p>Eric directed rapidly his walk toward the ballroom, and a tall, thin, and elegant woman, lowering his head near her right ear before politely asking her to dance in front of the other guests.<p>

The woman excused herself to the guests for stepping out of their present conversation, before reaching Eric standing position, putting her left on his shoulder, while sliding her right in his, and starting to dance with him.

"**What do you have for me?"** Elise murmured to the thug vampire.

"**What do you have for me later…"** Eric whispered to her, while sliding his right hand on her back in a suggestive caress.

"**Eric! This is not the time neither the place for this…"** She angrily responded to him, adding. **"My husband could be watching us, as we speak…"**

"**Then…When will be the time, Elise…I've been more than accommodating to you…"** He desperately said to her.

"**Yes! And you are paid for it!"** She angrily whispered to him.

"**But I want more from you…"** He murmured to her, as a demand. **"…You know how crazy I am of you…" **

"**I know, Eric…But it is impossible now, people could see us…"** She said to him, adding. **"…What did you learn?"**

"**Eleonore Greenwich just stepped inside these walls…"** He murmured in Elise's right ear, while smiling and raising one of his eyebrows. **"…She is in the parlour room with Elijah!" **

"**The "Eleonore Greenwich", you don't say?" **Elise replied to Eric, with surprise and a sadistic smile on her face, before biting her lips nervously.** "Very interesting…I bet the reason is that…He wants to find his lost family…She was in deep connection with Klaus for many years…" **She added while putting her perfect long red colour nails on her lips, in a question mark gesture.

"**It could be a possibility…"** Eric answered her, almost none interested, while shrugging his shoulders.

"**No, it is more than a possibility, Eric…It is exactly that!" **She angrily whispered to him, adding. **"I need two things from you now…"**

"**And what will those be, my love?"** He replied to her, in a whisper, near her left ear.

"**First, find Klaus…I want to know where he is…And put me in contact with him…"** She firstly asked him, adding. **"…Elijah's brother needs to know that his favourite doppelganger is in England!" **

"**And as for your second request…"** Eric asked her.

She smiled at him, before lowering her head near his right ear, while murmuring instructions.

Eric raised his head in surprise, while looking at her in the eyes, before asking:

"**You are such a manipulative bitch, Elise…You are sure, you really want me to do that?" **

"**Completely sure…"** She answered him sadistically, adding. "**The doppelganger bitch needs a lesson…And as for Eleonore Greenwich, her time as the most powerful witch is up!"** She added while closing her fists in anger.

* * *

><p>A tall woman was standing and facing one of the parlour room windows, while plunging her sight into the darkness of the night. Her long white hair was elegantly put in a bun by a golden flower hair clip; she was wearing a long cape, with long black silk gloves on her hands.<p>

"**I don't like to be asked to wait…I am getting old now, time is lacking…"** She exclaimed, while slowly turning to face him, and delicately undressed herself of her satin gloves.

"**And it is not in my habits to do so…Not in presence of beautiful woman"** Elijah answered her, while closing the parlour door room behind him, reaching her standing position, taking her right hand in his, before hand-kissing it. **"It's a pleasure, Eleonore..."** He added with a sincere smile, before directing his walk toward the bar.

"**Likewise, Elijah…"** She responded to him, before getting rid of her cape, showing an exquisite, long sleeves and length, velvet black dress, while taking a sitting place into an arm chair. **"…This meeting was long overdue, I would say…" **

"…**In a sense?" **Heresponded to her, while pouring them two Bourbon glasses, before walking toward her sitting position, and giving one to her, sitting in front of her a short moment after.

"**In a sense of having known your brother for so long, but not had the chance to meet you before…The "moral" Original brother: ELIJAH!…I raise my glass to you, my dear…Your reputation is impeccable! The complete contrary of your brother…If I may add…" **Eleonore said to him, while raising her glass elegantly in the air.

"**And yet again…You've been known for being in contact with him for so many years…"** Elijah replied to her.

"**Yes! And that was very unfortunate…I won't go into details…but lets just say that he had a grip on me for a long time…before I was finally able to free myself of him and his power…But, again, Elijah, witches and vampires have been in contact for thousands of year…I am not teaching you something new in that knowledge…"** she replied to him with a smile.

"**Indeed my dear….Both of our supernatural worlds have been in close contact, while trying to hide who we are among humans…"** Elijah replied to her. **"You mind if I go directly to my reason for wanting this meeting?" **

"**I always loved a man who goes directly after what he wants…I'm listening..."** Eleonore replied to him, before being interrupted by Charles who was entering the parlour room, closing the door behind him, while nodding his head to Elijah, before walking to reach Eleonore sitting position.

"**I'm sorry for the interruption…"** Charles said to both of them. **"…A bit of none wanted problems in the kitchen…"** He added as a short explanation, making Elijah raised his head and one of his eyebrows, in questionable doubt that the problem could have the name of "Katerina"? **"And, I took care of it!"** He then explained to Elijah, while putting a friendly hand on his Master left shoulder, before taking a few walking steps to reach Eleonore. **"Eleonore Greenwich…A pleasure…"** He said to her, while taking her right hand in his.

"**Charles Brownstown! I'll be damn…" **Eleonore said to him, while smiling heavenly.

"**Oh please, my dear…I am just an apprentice warlock, nothing in comparison of your powerful knowledge!"** Charles answered her, while blushing, making Elijah smile and hide his need to laugh behind one of his hand.

"**You are too modest…You reputation is well known in England as one of the best warlock in the country!" **Eleonore replied to him, adding.** "So, how did you get enrol by this one?" **She asked Charles, while nodding her head in direction of Elijah.

"**And how did you get enrol by Klaus?" **Charles asked her with a charming smile.

"**Touché my dear…How did we both get enrol then?" **She added with a wink of an eye, before turning her sight to look at Elijah. **"Where were we, my dear Elijah?"** She then asked him.

"**I need to locate my family…"** Elijah simply said to her.

"**I had a feeling that you would ask me for that…"** She replied to him, while rising on her feet. **"I don't know much, Elijah…"** She said to him, while taking a few walking steps toward the bar, to drop her empty glass.

"**Whatever you could tell me, could help me locate them…"** Elijah replied to her.

"**He always kept quiet on the subject…Escaping my own questions…You know how he is…"** She responded to him.

"**Any clues, words, country name that he would have mentioned that you remember?"** Elijah asked of her.

"**The only thing that I remember was that one day…He mentioned to his warlock a shipment that was leaving New York by boat to reach Europe, before his final destination: Russia!"** She informed both of them.

Elijah and Charles looked at each other.

"**What kind of shipment?"** Elijah asked her.

"**I could not say…"** She replied to them, while pacing back and forth in front of them, with her right hand placed on her chest. **"At that moment, I was in South-Africa….He, himself had business there…So, we met…He was very secretive about that particular shipment coming from the USA…And I did not ask anymore question, he was getting violent about it all…You must know how he can be…" **She responded to Elijah.

"**It can only be what you are looking for, Master Elijah...He must have been shipping the coffins in Russia…"** Charles told him.

"**I'm so sorry of not being able to give you more information, Elijah…"** Eleonore said him.

"**On the contrary…"** Elijah replied to here, while getting up and holding her right hand in both of his. **"I will be in your debt for ever…"** He added, while smiling at her.

"**For ever, will be a very short time for me, my dear Elijah…I'm getting old…the end is near, I can feel it!"** She responded to him.

"**Aww, none sense…"** He replied to her, adding. "**You are as young as a blossom flower…"**

"**Now in the charmed department…You are outshining your brother without a doubt!"** She answered, while winking to him.

"**Maybe you want to join my guests in the ballroom dance…"** Elijah asked her.

"**No, thank you…That is for a young man like you, Elijah! I have a plane to catch…" **She informed him.

"**Don't forget that I am thousand years old, Eleonore!"** Elijah replied to her with a laughing voice.

"**Perhaps, but in your heart you are young thoughtful, loving and dedicated man!"** She replied to him. **"…Lucky the woman who will get you in, her bed and heart, my dear!" **She added before turning her stare to Charles.

"**Charles, maybe you could escort me to the entrance?" **She asked him.

"**Certainly…"** He responded to Eleonore, before opening the parlour room door to let her pass the arch.

"**Good luck finding you lost family, Elijah…"** She said, before stepping out of the room, followed by Charles on her footsteps.

* * *

><p>Eleonore was walking beside Charles into the corridor leading them toward the entrance of the Manor.<p>

"**Thank you for helping him, Eleonore!"** Charles said to her.

"**He is one of the few good ones among them, Charles, I had no reason to not do it…I just hope that he will be able to help his brother…I unfortunately think that Klaus has reached to point of none return!" **

"**I honestly doubt that he could help his brother!"** Charles responded to her, while looking at Eleonore, and not seeing the young man who was bumping to him in the corridor.

"**Oh…Please accept my deepest apologies for bumping into you; I am so clumsy sometimes…Enjoy your evening!"** The young man said to both of them, before raising his sight at them and freezing on the spot at the view of Charles, before leaving them in a hurry after nodding his head to them, and avoiding Charles stare, while continuing his walk.

"**Charles? Are you ok?"** Eleonore asked him, adding. **"..You are white as a ghost my dear…" **

"**I'm ok!" **He responded to her, whileputting himself back together, and walking by her side again. **"Please forgive me…For two seconds; I thought I recognised that young man…"** He added to Eleonore, before shaking his head in disbelief.

"**No need for…"** She responded to him, while reaching the entrance of the Manor.

Charles took her right hand in his, before hand-kissing it.

"**My dear, it was a pleasure…Have a safe trip!"** He said to her, before opening the front door of the Manor.

"**Probably my last one…"** She answered him, with a sad smile on her face.

"**Ohhh, none sense, there are many countries that still need to meet, the one and only, Eleonore Greenwich…"** He replied to her, with a big smile.

"**I'll die soon, Charles…I predicted it…"** She replied very peacefully to him, making Charles raised his head to look at her in the eyes in surprise. **"Ohhh don't worry, it is my time…I can't go against destiny and God wish…Take care of yourself, my dear warlock!" **She said to him, while raising her hand to caress his right cheek, before stepping out of the manor, in direction of the limousine that was waiting for her.

Charles closed the front door, before leaning his back on the wood, while showing a worrying expression on his face.

* * *

><p>Eleonore started to walk into the large alley of ancient trees, toward her limousine, when she heard a feminine voice called her.<p>

"**Leaving so soon?" **

Eleonore turned to look at the guest who was addressing herself to her, before putting a hand on her chest, and opening her mouth as she recognized her.

"**Elise!"** She exclaimed, in a whisper and complete shock.

"**Hello mother! Long time no see…"** Elise responded to her.

"**What are you doing here?"** Eleonore said to her daughter.

"**Well…That would actually be my question to you, Eleonore…"** Elise replied to her, with tears filling her eyes.

"**I heard you married several years ago…."** Eleonore said to Elise.

"**Yes…How nice of you to keep track of my welfare, mother…I am married, to a wealthy, but older man…Not much fun in the bedroom…that is why I have Elijah in my bed, to keep warm me up!"** She replied sarcastically to her.

Eleonore startled hard at this admission.

"**You were never able to behave properly, Elise…" **Eleonore responded harshly to her daughter.

"**And you were never able to love me!" **Eliselashed out at her mother.

"**I loved you…I loved you with all my heart since the day you were born…But you went against the law of nature…You brought pain, and sadness to my life, Elise…and you used your witch power for your own sick purposes…I was not able to look at you anymore!" **Eleonore said to Elise, with tears running on her cheeks.

"**Don't worry mother! You won't have to look at me much longer…"** She replied to her.

Eleonore turned on herself, sensing an imminent danger, but she was not able to stop the course of events that followed her last conversation with her daughter. Eric came behind Elise's mother, before transforming into his vampire face, and viciously entering his fangs into the elderly woman's neck, leaving her dead and at his feet in a matter of seconds.

Elise took a few steps to reach her mother dead body position, before smiling sadistically.

"**Goodbye mother!"** She said to Eleonore, while raising her head a minute later to look at Eric, who was sweeping the blood away form his mouth. **"..Brought the body, on the grassland behind the kitchen…And do as I told you before…Then, leave the country and find Klaus!" **

Eric nodded his head, before taking the dead body on his left shoulders.

"**Promise that we'll be together after…"** Eric asked of her.

"**Of course love…When all of this is finished…I'll leave Richard, and come join you wherever you will be…"** She responded to him, while kissing him on the lips. **"Now go!" **

She watched him, her arms crossed on her chest, walking toward the back of the estate.

"**Stupid fool…"** She mumbled angrily in her teeth, before taking the first step to walk toward the entrance of the Manor.

* * *

><p>Katherine was helping the staff in the kitchen<strong>, <strong>with the dirty dishes, while suddenly raising her head, and listening to the outside screaming voice that she could hear with her vampire hearing skills.

She dried her hands on her apron, before opening the back kitchen door, turning her head from right to left, before stepping on the small porch, and slowly walking on the grassland.

"**Hello, someone there?"** She screamed, all her vampire senses in alert, while taking a few steps forward, before feeling her right feet touching something on the ground. **"Oh my God…."** She exclaimed, while lowering herself on her knees near Eleonore's dead body. **"Are you ok…" **She asked, while realizing that she was talking to a dead corpse, and not a living one, before turning the woman's head to notice two perfect symmetric vampire holes in the victim neck. **"What is going on?"** She mumbled to herself, before hearing a loud shrill in her ears.

"**Oh my God, you killed that woman!"** Elise was screaming from the top or her lungs, with her right hand put on her chest, at a near foot of distance from Katherine's kneeling position.

Katherine rise on her feet in a matter of second, before taking Elise right forearm forcefully in her right arm.

"**Just lower your voice Elise…I did not kill that woman for God sake…I don't even know who she is!"** Katherine screamed at her.

Charles alerted by Elise screams rushed at their side, before kneeling near Eleonore's body, while checking her pulse.

"**She's dead!"** He murmured in a low whisper, adding. **"…We, me and Master Elijah, were talking to her a few minutes ago…She had predicted it!"**

"**Charles, listen, it is not me!"** Katherine started mumbling nervously to him.

"**Of course it is you! Look at her vampire wounds on her neck!"** Elise screamed at Katherine.

Elijah rushed outside, by the Manor's kitchen back door a minute later, alerted by two of his vampire's guards. He arrived near the group, while staring directly at Charles.

"**She is dead!"** Charles said to him.

"**She did it…Like she attacked me in the kitchen previously!"** Elise screamed at Elijah. **"I find her near the woman's body…Look at the victim's neck…It is obvious that a vampire did this! She did it!" **She added while pointing her finger to Katherine.

Elijah turned her head in direction of Katherine's standing position, before discreetly nodding his head to Charles. Charles closed his eyes, and nodded in return…He perfectly knew that Elijah understood that Katherine was not responsible for this…but that he needed to take control and make believe in front of Elise…What would follow would not be nice and pretty for Miss Katherine!

"**I did not!"** Katherine said to Elijah, shaking her head from right to left, while closing her fists in anger.

Elijah put his hands on each side of his waist, while angrily staring at Katherine, before addressing himself in an order to one of his vampire guards

"**Take this woman dead body away! I don't want the guests to be alerted by this!" **He ordered one of his guards to do, before addressing the other.** "And escort her in a downstairs cells, I want her locked up for the time being!"**

"**What?" **Katherine exclaimed, while trying to escape the guard grip on her arm.** "Elijah, listen to me…I did not do this!" **

"**Don't address yourself to me in that tone, woman…Remember that I am your Master! Am I clear?" **He screamed at Katherine, making Elise smile deviously at the scene.

"**I hate you!"** Katherine screamed back at him, before being pushed away from the crime scene by the vampire guard.

"**Oh Elijah…I am so sorry for all of this!"** Elise said to him, before sliding her right hand on his right upper arm. **"Let me know if I can be of help? I'll go back to the ballroom; I don't want Richard to be suspicious of my long absence…" **She said to him, before raising her head near his, and kissing him on the cheek, walking a second later toward the kitchen back door.

"**Miss Katherine will hate you for this…"** Charles whispered to Elijah.

"**Free her…and tell her to stay put in her quarter…."** Elijah replied to Charles, while keeping his stare in the darkness of the night. **"And Charles…"**

"**Yes, Master…" **Charles replied to him.

"**Explain to her that I trusted her…and that this was just made believe…"** Elijah murmured to him.

"**I'll try…"** Charles added to him, before walking away.

* * *

><p>Katherine was walking rapidly into the corridor of the maid's quarter, while sweeping the running tears away from her face, with the back of her right hand. She raised her head, and finally saw Charles who was standing a couple of feet in front of hers, with his glove's hands on each side of his waist.<p>

"**Where are you running to, Miss Katherine?"** He asked her.

"**Let …Let me pass!"** Katherine mumbled to Charles, while rubbing her running nose, and drying her tears, with her hand. She hated for people to see her cry, she was way stronger than this pathetic version of herself that she was showing now!

"**I'll let you pass…But, to go where, Miss Katherine?"** Charles asked her.

"**You know where…."** Katherine answered him, in a teary voice. **"I'm leaving, Charles…I'm leaving this place…But most of all, I am leaving him!"** She added in anger.

"**Ok then!"** Charles replied to her, while pushing himself away of her path, and showing with a gesture of his right hand that she could pass beside him. **"But, just let me add that It was a cover up from his part, Miss Katherine…I know that Master Elijah was protecting you…He needed to act this way…He knows you did not do it, he knows, you need to believe that…But you also have to understand that he knows what he is doing!" **

"**You'll let me go, Charles?"** Katherine asked him, with astonishment expression on her face. **"You…You won't go tell him that I've escaped?"** She asked him.

"**It is not my intention, Miss Katherine."** Charles said to her, while crossing his arms and hands behind his back, and looking straight in front of him, adding. **"Why are you still here? You should be long gone already?" **

Katherine slowly passed by him, while stopping in front of his empty stare.

"**I don't see myself escape while wearing a half skirt! I will change into something more appropriate!" **She murmured, while looking straight at him. **"You're mad?"**

"**I don't have such feeling, Miss Katherine; I am simply tired after a long, painful, horrible night of events!"** Charles firstly replied to her, adding. **"Telling Master Elijah that you escaped would delay my over due rest of several hours!" **

Katherine nodded, before lowering slowly her head toward him, and kissing him gently on his left cheek.

"**Thank you, Charles…I…I really appreciated all the help you gave me since I arrived here…You know…I'm not the one to say thank you usually, you know that, don't you?"** Katherine mumbled almost incoherently to him.

"**I wish you good luck, Miss Katherine!"** He replied to her, while keeping a straight stare in front of him.

"**Ok…Then…"** Katherine said to him, while taking a few steps toward her bedroom, adding. "**You won't see me again…I'm just saying that I will be gone FOR GOOD!" **She added to him, while putting emphasis on the "for good" part!

Charles did not answer, he only stood still. She took a last glimpse at him, before rushing in direction of her bedroom. He then uncrossed his hands behind his back, sliding his right hand in his black trouser pocket, before reaching for a wrapped candy caramel, opened it, before putting it in his mouth, while closing his mouth, and showing the biggest smile on his lips, before starting to walk toward the opposite side of the corridor, while adding out loud and with a laugher:

"**Good night, Miss Katherine…We will see each other tomorrow morning for breakfast!"**

* * *

><p>Elijah was sitting on a rattan chair on the front porch patio, while sipping a glass of Porto, and taking puff of a Cuban cigar, his stare lost in the emptiness of the night, suddenly hearing steps approaching of his sitting position.<p>

"**Where is she?"** He demanded of Charles.

"**I am not supposed to repeat it to you, but if you insist…She is making her luggage to escape this place and disappear as we speak, so act like you did not hear it from me…"** Charles responded to him, while leaning his back on the porch ramp, and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Elijah rose on his feet in a matter of seconds, being stopped in his movement by a loud voice.

"**Sit down!" **Charles ordered him.

Elijah sat down again, while rubbing his hands together.

"**Now…If you could for once, keep your Original leader Viking act down…"** He asked Elijah, making him raised his stare at Charles, but keeping his silence. **"She's hurt! And she was crying…You hurt her deeply!"**

"**I've told her to stay put …But, no she is as stubborn as ever…She needed to be in the middle of this…When in fact I was protecting her!" **Elijah started to burst, while raising his voice.

"**I said: Silence, son!"** Charles ordered him, once again. **"I've never seen two people so stubborn in all my life!"** He busted in anger himself, while pacing back and forth in front of Elijah, with his arms still crossed on his chest. **"She is stubborn, and uncontrollable, I give you that! But she changed a lot since she arrived in the Manor…But you are too blind to see it…and too proud of yourself if I may add!"** Charles explained to Elijah. **"Yes….She was told to stay put! And yes…She did not listen to you! When did she ever listen to you? But isn't it what you love the most about Miss Katherine…Her fearless way of disobeying you? And in top of it, you created yourself a situation by putting her in presence of you ex-mistress….Or am I mistaken that Elise is in fact you ex-mistress?" **

Elijah opened his mouth, before closing it again as being told off, by a hand gesture of Charles.

"**You need to understand that behind this fearless vampire girl that is Katherine Pierce, the young human woman that you once met as Katerina Petrova, and who had her life taking from her is hiding somewhere…and that woman is crying for you to take a look at her!"** Charles added to Elijah, before stopping his pace in front of him.

"**Are you finished?"** Elijah asked Charles, while raising his sight at him.

"**I believe that the part, of the friend and warlock, is, Master Elijah…"** Charles said to him, while crossing his hands behind his back, and standing straight in front of his master, adding. **"Now, as for the butler part…I will never again be in charge of any autumn banquet, winter banquet, spring banquet, and next year I will take my vacation at the moment that you will decide to do the summer banquet again! If you need that by writing it will be my pleasure to do so, tomorrow morning…" **Charles explained to Elijah.

"**It is morning already, Charles!"** Elijah replied mockingly to him, while holding his laughter, and finishing his glass in a last gulp.

Charles raised his butler shirt to look at his watch.

"**Well, yes, Master Elijah! I believe you are right, it is morning! Then I will write it to you in the afternoon!"** He replied to him, while turning and starting to walk toward the entrance of the manor, being stop by Elijah a few second later.

"**Who killed Eleonore Greenwich, Charles?"** Elijah asked his friends.

"**Who would want to become the first witch?"** Charles responded to him.

"**That's what I thought…"** Elijah responded to Charles, while passing a nervous hand on his hair. **"…Elise is in the middle of this…but she was not alone, a vampire was with her…" **Elijah added to him, continuing.** "…I promise to avenge Eleonore's death…She was a remarkable woman….I feel responsible, she was here because of me!" **

"**Yes! She was…" **Charles responded to Elijah, while lowering his head. **"And don't put the blame on your shoulders; destiny was already written…She had predicted her own death, you know…She told me that she would die a few minutes, just before leaving the manor…" **He added to him, before taking a few steps toward the manor entrance.

"**Charles?"** Elijah called him again, adding. **"You truly think that…You truly think that Katerina won't escape?" **

Charles stopped his walk, smiled, and slowly turned his head to look at Elijah.

"**I truly think that she will never leave this place on her free will, Master Elijah…" **Charles answered him, before walking away, adding before entering the manor. **"Now…the "why" is for you to find out, it is not my place to tell you…"**

* * *

><p>Katherine stepped inside her bedroom, in a stormy entrance, closing the door in a big bank noise behind her, before rushing toward the wooden wardrobe, opened it, and taking a pair of jeans on a wooden tablet, before throwing it on the bed. They could all go to hell for what she had to care! Elijah, Charles, the stupid maid's staff! Katerina Petrova was giving her reverence to this awful place! Having all these angry thoughts in her mind, while in a vampire speed, taking her awful maid uniform off of her, throwing it on the floor, before positioning herself in front of her bed to take her jeans in her hands, while holding her gesture in surprise. A big white box, with a big lace yellow ribbon on top, was placed in top of the bedspread; it probably had been placed there before the banquet.<p>

She sat on the bed, beside the box, before tearing the ribbon, and sliding the piece of satin away, opening its cover a second later, while separating the yellow satin papers, before putting her right hand on her chest, while opening her mouth, seeing the most beautiful dress in front of her eyes. The dress was in an off white colour, with a satin bustier, a deep back neckline, a black large satin ribbon at the waist, and a lace pencil long skirt opened on each side of the legs, without a doubt a very expensive and exquisite couture dress…She look everywhere and finally saw it…the envelope!

She dropped the dress on the bed, before frantically opened the envelope, to tear up a card from inside:

_**Waiting for you in the ballroom…**_

_**It is our time now, Katerina.**_

_**Elijah**_

She threw the card, away from her, on the bed, like she had been burned by it, before bursting in anger: **"Go to hell, Elijah!"** …While angrily putting the dress in the box, and pushing the box away from her sitting position, before crossing her arms in front of her chest, in a moody gesture, and staring at the box.

* * *

><p>Elijah entered the empty ballroom room, with his right hand in his right front trouser pocket, while holding his tuxedo jacket on his left shoulder with his left hand. He took a few walking steps to reach a chair, before dropping the jacket on top. Then he turned while saluting the pianist and the Jazz singer, Rita, before taking a few steps to reach them at the far left corner of the ballroom. She was sipping a Brandy, while the pianist was smoking a cigarette.<p>

"**Good evening, Mister Elijah!"** They both greeted him, before the pianist started to play around with notes. **"It was a nice banquet…And, as instructed, we were waiting for you…Is your lady friend coming?"** He asked him.

"**I don't believe so…"** He answered them, with a sad smile, while lowering his head. **"You can go now, I wish you a good night…Thank you for a wonderful evening repertoire…As usual your beautiful voice charmed everyone, Rita!" **He said to her, before taking her right hand in his, and hand-kissing it.

"**Mister Elijah…For you, always…."** The singer responded to him, adding. **"But, this part of the night…."** She started explaining to him, while directing her walk on her black stilettos heels, toward the switch lights placed on one of the ballroom's wall, adding. **"When all the guests have left, and that only the lights of a few candles are illuminating the ballroom, and me and my pianist are just singing for the joy of hearing beautiful lyrics…It is I believe the best part….So, let us indulge you in that moment."**

Elijah smiled back at her, before nodding his head and taking a few steps toward one of the ballroom big window, before drowning his eyes in the darkness of the night, while listening

"**Bill…Hit the notes of: S' Wonderful!"** Rita asked her pianist to play, before singing the first lyrics herself. _"S'Wonderful….S'marvellous…You should care for me! S'awful nice, S'paradise, S'what I love to see….You made my life so glamorous, you can't blame me for feeling amorous! Oh's wonderful, S'marvellous, that you should care for me!"_

"**Elijah…."** A woman voice called, making him slowly detached himself from the window and turn to face Katherine.

"**You came?"** He whispered to her, in a broken voice, before seeing her silently nodding her head.

"_You've made my life so glamorous, you can't blame me for feeling amorous! Oh's wonderful, S'marvellous, that you should care for me!" _

"**You look so beautiful …"** He whispered to her, while sliding his look with admiration, from her bare shoulders, to her dress bustier, to her small and perfect waist dressed by the black ribbon, the pencil lace long skirt that was shaping perfectly her figure and her bare legs showing with a slit on each side, while a loose hair bun that was showing her bare naked back.

Katherine shrugged her shoulders, whit a pout expression on her face.

"**It's the dress…It's not me!"** She murmured back to him.

Elijah smile, before lowering his head, and raising his stare on her one more time.

"**You perfectly know that it is you…"** He whispered to her, with admiration, making Katherine blushed.

"_S'magnigicque, S'what I seek, you should care for me. S'elegant, s'what I want, S'what I love to see." _

"**Why did you do this?"** Katherine asked him.

"**Do I need a reason for wanting to have you in my arms at the end of the evening? To simply share a dance…" **Elijah asked her, while shrugging his shoulders.

"**I almost ran away, you know…"** She said out loud to him.

"**I know…"** Elijah replied to her, adding. **"Why are you still here?"**

"**Do I need a reason for being here?"** She sarcastically answered to him.

"**No, you don't…"** Elijah answered her, while smiling back at her.

"**You hurt me tonight, Elijah…I did not deserve to see you put me down in front of her…"** She replied to him, with teary eyes.

Elijah kept his stare in hers, before passing a nervous hand on his hair.

"**You needed to stay put, Katerina…Why did you not listen to me? I was protecting you…There was too many people present in this banquet, a loose end of information could easily come into Klaus's ears that we are here in England!"** He responded to her, adding. **"And with this murder on my hands, it is worst! But, you preferred, like always to be stubborn and go your way!" **

Katherine lowered her sight, while rubbing her hands nervously together. Elijah took a few steps to reach her standing position, before raising her chin with his right hand.

"**You need to trust me sometimes, ok?"** He whispered to her, calmer.

She did not answer him, but keep her eyes locked with his.

"**Give me your hand, Katerina…Dance with me…" **Headded to her, in a broken whisper.

"**I…" **Katherine started to mumbled, having the strange feeling that she was not able to breathe, and that her heart had started to beat again….What was this feeling? What was happening to her? **"I can't…" **

"**Yes, you can, Katerina! Put your hand in mine…Trust me…" **He murmured to her.

Katherine raised her right shaky hand, before putting it in his, while feeling his fingers closing and interlacing slowly with hers; he gently pulled her in his arms, encircling her waist with his left arm, while pulling her closer to his chest, and starting to slow dance on the song.

"_My dear, it's four leaved clover time, from now on my heart's working overtime, S'exceptional, no bagatelle, that you should care for…That you should care for…That you should care for me…" _

She closed her eyes, and rested her head on Elijah's chest, while he was raising in a slow caress his left hand on the bare skin of her back, making her shiver.

"**You're trembling…"** He murmured to her, while putting his lips on her forehead, and raising his right hand in her hair, to let her hair free of its bun, while passing his fingers in her curls.

"**I'm a bit cold…"** She whispered to him, covering her true feeling behind a so little lie. How could she explain what she did not understand herself? What she was feeling in his arms right now?

"_You've made my life so glamorous, you can't blame me for feeling amorous! Oh's wonderful, S'marvellous, that you should care for me!" _

Elijah wrapped his arms around her.

"**Feeling better?"** He whispered to her, to which she nodded her head, before smiling heavenly, for five minutes, she would not fight him, she would simply remember what it felt to be a woman in his arms.

"**Mister Charles?"** Elizabeth called the name in the corridor in front of the ballroom open doors, startling Charles who was witnessing the dance between Elijah and Katherine while hiding himself.

"**Elizabeth!"** Charles whispered to her, while putting his right hand on his chest. **"You almost gave me a heart attack…Shh, lower your voice, and…Are you ok?"** He asked her.

"**Mortify, Mister Charles!" **She responded to him, while rubbing her hands nervously. **"I never been drunk in all my life…And…I don't know what happened tonight…."** She added, while lowering her head and hiding her blushed cheeks.

"**Oh…Elizabeth…Don't feel ashamed for nothing! Come here…"** He ordered her to do, with a hand gesture, while nodding his head in direction of the dancing couple.

Elizabeth took a few steps to reach Charles's hiding standing position behind the ballroom door, while taking a glimpse inside the ballroom, before turning her head to smile at Charles.

"**Aren't they a beautiful couple?"** She whispered to him.

"**My dear Elizabeth, if you value your life, I would forget what you just saw, and never repeat this to either of them!"** He murmured, while winking to her, to which she nodded her head, before laughing silently.

"**Can't we see, Mister Charles?"** Charles heard several whispering voices ask him, making him turned his head in surprise.

"**Ladies…What are you all doing here, aren't you suppose to be in bed?"** He asked them, in pure disbelief.

The maids all shrugged their shoulders, while giggling all together.

"**Mister Charles…let them take a quick look for a second…"** Elizabeth asked him, while titling her head and smiling at him.

"**Oooohhhh….Alright, ladies…quick…"** He ordered them, with a hand gesture, before witnessing ten woman's heads quickly lurking at the dancing couple, while rolling his eyes at the funny spectacle, and smiling at Elizabeth.

* * *

><p>Katherine raised her stare into the bathroom mirror, while passing a brush through her hair, before deposing the hair brush on the sink cabinet and taking the last sip of her blood bag, getting rid of it in the waste basket, before putting a bit of hand cream in her left hand, opening the bathroom door, passing under the arch, and closing it behind her, while rubbing the cream on her hands, and upper arms.<p>

"**Why did you take the chance to have me in your bedroom, under the nose of your "precious Elise" and other guests who stayed to sleep for the night in the manor, Elijah?"** Katherine asked him, while putting emphasize on the "Elise" part, and taking a few steps to reach the bed.

Elijah smiled, while lowering the book he was reading, and had in his hands, on the cover sheet, before putting his upper right arm under his head on the pillow.

"**You're jealous, Katerina?"** He said to her, with a mocking tone of voice, while sliding his sight on her black sexy nightgown.

"**You could easily slept with the entire female population of****England…It would not bother me the least! We only have an agreement between us, Elijah…."**She replied to him, while raising the sheet, and entering the bed,

"**Duly noted…I'll place an ad in the ****London ****newspaper in the following days to start my harem…"** He responded sarcastically to her, while taking the book back in his hands. **"As for your first question, I prefer to have you by my side, and watch you, especially with guests in my house!"** He added to her, while continuing to read.

She put her head on the pillow, whit her right hand underneath, while watching him read.

"**What's with the glasses…?"** She asked, while smiling sarcastically at him.

"**Why, you don't like them?"** He asked her, with a big smile on his face, while continuing his reading.

"**I did not say that…"** She replied to him, while holding her laughter, adding. **"…It gives you a stylish serious look, even if you don't really need them, as your vision is perfect being an original and all!"**

"**Coming from Miss Fashion herself…I take that as a compliment…" **He responded to her, while turning his stare to look at her in the eyes, lowering his upper body and head a second later to capture her lips in a sweet kiss, before raising his body back to his reading position a short moment after, leaving her off guard and surprised.

"**What time is it?"** She asked him.

"**Why? You have somewhere to go, Katerina?"** He asked her, while directing his stare at his side table to see the time. **"Almost four in the morning…"** He responded to her.

"**And….You… I thought you wanted…Well…I though that….because…I…"** She mumbled almost incoherently to him, before turning her back at him, at the other side of the bed.

Elijah raised his sight on her turned back position, putting his hands on his mouth to hold his laughter, while putting his book on the bedside table, lying under the sheet, and turning on his side to look at her back.

"**You thought that I have asked you in my bedroom to have sex with you…"** He whispered to her, in a laughing voice, while sliding the back of his right hand on her bare back skin, making her shiver and shrugged her shoulders a second later. He then added: **"I am not a pervert, neither a sex addict, Katerina…If you could stop seeing me like one; it could be nice between us…We could exchange sometimes…And, we both have a rough night…So, I just want for us to relax."**

"**Well…We have an agreement, Elijah…That is usually why I am in your bedroom…So; I usually do my part of the agreement…"** Katherine replied to him, while playing nervously with one of her front nightgown ribbon. **"But, if Max is tired…" **She continued in a mocking ton of voice.

"**You are unbelievable, Katerina…"** Elijah answered in a laughing voice.

"**The woman who died, was she the one that you needed to talk with?" **Katerina asked him.

"**Yes, she was!"** Elijah simply answered her.

"**Were you able to have the information that you needed?" **Katerina asked him.

"**Yes, I was!"** He simply replied to her, adding in a murmur. "**Thank you for asking…I like this side of you the carrying side…"**

"…**.I…** **It's just that…I don't know…I'm not used to …I'm…I always…most of the time, I always been alone in my life, taking care of myself…So, I don't know how to share things with a man, or be with someone, like now…and, it is not like we are friends or anything…and I …Never mind!"** She whispered back to him, while rubbing nervously her hands together, in anticipation of his answer. But only the silence filled the emptiness of the room. **"Elijah?"** She called him, before suddenly turning herself to look at him, while lifting her upper body, to finally notice that he had fallen asleep. **"You felt asleep…"** She murmured to herself, before reaching to take his glasses off his nose, while very slowly lifting the frame, and putting it on the bedside table, she then raised the sheet on his bare chest to cover him up, while looking at him sleeping, with her raised knees near her chest, then she slowly approached her right hand near his face, while gently sliding her fingers on his manly jaw, raising them to caress softly his cheeks, while finally touching his lips with the tips of her fingers…before suddenly taking them away, like she had been burned by the touch of his skin!

She angrily put her head back on her pillow, turning her back once again, while wrapping herself in the sheets, and closing her fists. She needed to stop this right away! What ever "this" was? Did she forget all the sadness and heartaches that man had caused her in the past? She needed to continue to hate him with every fibber of her body…She knew that for now, being with Elijah, in England, was her safest option, keeping her away from Klaus, and technically prolonging her vampire life…and she needed to keep focusing on that, and keeping this charade of being a maid alive! What she had felt in his arms while dancing with him in the ballroom needed to vanished from her thoughts…Even if for two seconds, she had felt her human heart beating again…She needed to stop! Now…Right now…At this minute…She thought while slowly closing her eyes and falling into a deep asleep…in a dream, where she was dancing in the arms of a dark, handsome man, named Elijah!

* * *

><p><strong>As always, I can't wait to read you my readers!<strong>

**But, most of all, thank you all for your nice reviews! Both the readers who are members in this site and the ones who are not, and that I am not able to respond back to… I really appreciate all your support! I am so happy that you love this story!**

Ok, seriously…My heart was beating so hard in my chest…. BOOM BOOM BOOM at the end, with him waiting for her in the ballroom…And it is me who's writing it! LOL! I could imagine Katherine so beautiful in her dress…and him…and ….Oh gosh! What a romantic moment! Took my breath away! I'm such a softy for those scenes! (Winking an eye at all of you…).

Ok…Now that I have spoiled you these last two weeks! I will go back to my two other stories, before coming back to this one. Till the next chapter, keep safe!


	11. Deadly water

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**Lovely Vero **

**Writer's note****: **These two are as stubborn as ever! I have more and more grey hair just by writing them! (LOL)….For those who like smaller chapter: I am so sorry! When I start writing the plots of a chapter, especially for this story, my fingers are typing and typing while never stopping! (LOL)…Enjoy my dear readers, It is a powerful, darker chapter that will leave you breathless at the end…It will be once again a wild ride ;)

**Note to Jess**: Our previous conversation about ice cream did not fall into deaf ears! Winking at you!

* * *

><p><strong>In the black veil of a sunny day,<strong>

**When I will feel you slowly drift away from me,**

**Just remember: that I love you…**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

**DEADLY WATER**

* * *

><p>Charles was sitting on a rattan chair on the front porch of the Manor, on his day off, in his casual jeans and short sleeves shirt, while drinking an espresso and reading the daily news, when he suddenly dropped his newspaper lower than his sight, to help him follow Katherine who was directed her present walk mission toward Roger, Elijah's personal driver, who was cleaning one of the limousine in front of the garage.<p>

"**What is she doing now?"** Charles mumbled in his teeth, while dropping his newspaper for good on a rattan table, and crossing his arms on his chest.

All of the "staying for the night" guests of yesterday night banquet had already left the Manor couple of hours ago, and it was approaching now the twelve o'clock mark on this beautiful Sunday - August summer day.

"**Miss Katherine, what is the diabolic plan of the day in this pretty head of yours? I bet I am one step in front of you…"** He murmured to himself, with a small laugher, while watching her seductively smiling to Roger, while sliding her wandering fingers, on the poor and speechless man chest.

"**Good afternoon, Mister Charles!" **

Charles heard Elizabeth calling, making him stop his secret lurking, and raising his head to look at her.

"**My dear Elizabeth, I did not see you there."** He responded to her, while getting up on his feet.

"**Oh please, I don't want to disturb you in the quietness of your day off." **Elizabeth replied to Charles, with a hand gesture.

"**My dear, when is it ever a quiet day in this Manor?"** He mockingly asked her, while giving quick glimpses in direction of Katherine and Roger.

"**It used to be quieter…But, you have a point, Mister Charles, it changed, especially since the arrival of Miss Katherine…She had brought sunshine and life in these solitary walls…And most of all in Master Elijah's eyes!"** She answered him, with a smile, while winking and putting a friendly hand on his left forearm, making Charles lower his sight on her hand placed on his forearm skin, they have been exchanging less professional conversation these last past days, and especially since the banquet, and it was for the least disturbing to him.

"**But, my dear…isn't it your day off as well, what bring you in the Manor? I hope your husband is not…"** Charles asked her.

"**Still the same…"** She responded to Charles, while lowering her head and loosing her smile, before directing, with him at her side, her walk toward the main entrance. **"…I thought that I should come for an hour or two to see if the cleaning staffs were doing their job properly…And I needed…" **She added to Charles, without finishing her sentence, while lowering her head with shame, and rubbing her hands together.

"**You needed time to yourself, because it's so hard to see the man that you love becoming so ill, and this Manor is like your second home."** Charles finished her sentence, while opening the door for her.

"**I'm such an awful person, Mister Charles."** She responded to Charles, with tears in her eyes.

"**No…You are just human, Elizabeth!"** Charles responded to her. **"And you are feeling extremely alone these days, aren't you?" **

Elizabeth nodded her head, while trying to hold the tears in her eyes, before entering the Manor, followed by Charles; it is at that moment that they saw Elijah directed his walk toward the small parlour room, with a cup of coffee in one hand, and a book in the other, dressed with a dark blue jeans, and a black t-shirt.

"**Charles…"** Elijah greeted his butler in chief, while nodding his head to him, before seeing Elizabeth. **"…Elizabeth? Is there a problem?" **

"**Good afternoon, Master Elijah…No, no…I just came to see if the hired cleaning staffs were doing their job properly."** Elizabeth explained to him, while smiling.

"**But there was no need for you to do that, my dear, I'm here; Charles is here…We're keeping an eye on things."** Elijah replied to her, while tilting his head. **"Is everything ok with your husband?" **He added to her, before seeing Charles warning him behind her, while shaking his head from right to left, to not take this path of conversation.

"**It's still the same, Master Elijah."** She replied simply to him, while lowering sadly her head.

"**Well…Give him my regards, and he's in our thoughts!"** He responded to her, while nodding his head.

"**Thank you, Master Elijah; it's very kind of you."** She replied to him with a smile, before seeing him continue his walk toward the door of the parlour room, before holding his pace, turning, and coming back toward them.

"**It's quiet…"** Elijah added to Charles and Elizabeth.

Charles smiled deviously, and crossed his arms behind his back, while raising his head, and looking directly into Elijah's eyes.

"**Indeed, it is very quiet….But then again, Master Elijah, isn't it the day after the banquet from hell? I filed my letter in your office, on your desktop, informing you, and like discussed with you yesterday night, that last night event was my last coordination of banquet in these walls. Next time, you'll have to find an event coordinator." **Charles informed him, while keeping his head high.

"**Oh Charles, it was not that bad!"** Elizabeth exclaimed, while holding her laughter, with her right hand place in front of her face.

"**I thought you would have forgotten that nonsense, Charles?"** Elijah said to him, while holding his amusement himself.

"**On the contrary, Master Elijah, "that nonsense" as you call it, is on your desktop, in your office – study room." **Charles replied to him.

"**Well…I decline your resignation as a banquet coordinator…Deal with it!"** Elijah replied to him, adding, while looking around him suspiciously. **"…Where is KA-TE-RI-NA?"**

"**I believe this is my day off, Master Elijah, I am not in duty, therefore, not obligated to inform you of the whereabouts of Miss Katherine, or any member of the staff, if I may add." ** Charles replied to him, with a smirk on his face.

"**But wasn't it Miss Katherine who was talking to Roger outside?"** Elizabeth asked Charles.

"**Was it her…Mm?"** Charles replied sarcastically, while holding his chin in his right hand. **"…I could not recall? Perhaps it was her…"**

"**Charles!" **Elijah warned him, while looking at him with fury eyes. **"What is she doing with Roger?" **

"**Well, I believe that …How can I put it…And this would be my interpretation …Not necessarily the real event…" **Charles was mumbling to Elijah.

"**Charles!"** Elijah warned him for a second time, with an angrier voice.

"**I believe she is ….Let me see…charming her way out off the Manor, by hypnotizing your "chauffeur" to take her in a "Miss Daisy" ride!"** Charles answered him, while hiding his hilarity behind his hand.

"**She is hypnotizing my driver to take her in what …Elise!" **Elijah repeated out loud, while closing his eyes, and suddenly realizing the meaning of it.** "Damn her!"** Elijah added in a burst, before angrily directing his walk toward the entrance door of the manor, opening it, and slamming it in a big bang noise behind him.

"**Awww, the sound of slamming door…Now that's feeling more like a normal day in the Manor, would you say, my dear?"** Charles asked Elizabeth, with a sarcastic smile on his face.

"**Mister Charles! Did you play with Master Elijah nerves, just now?"** She exclaimed to him, in laughter.

"**Did I? Mm….I wouldn't do that, my dear; I'm too well behaved…"** He replied, while winking at her.

"**I'll leave you enjoy your day off, Mister Charles…I'll take a look around the Manor, to see if everything is in order." **Elizabeth replied to him, with a smile.

"**Oh…I would wait here with me, if I was you, my dear Elizabeth, just a while longer, or it would be a shame for you to miss the show."** Charles replied to her, while looking at his watch.

"**I'm not sure I am following you?"** Elizabeth answered him.

"**Well…Let me just count for us…Ten…Nine…"** Charles started counting in front of a speechless Elizabeth, continuing. **"…Eight…Seven and a half…Seven…Six…Five…Four… Three and a half…Three….Two….One…" **

And it is with another big bang noise that the front door opened, leaving an open walking path to Elijah who was carrying Katherine on his left shoulder, before having thrown her like a bag of potatoes, on his back, a few moments before.

"**Let go of me, NOW!"** Katherine screamed from the top of her lungs, while beating Elijah's back, with her closed fists.

"**Let me shake in my pants, while hearing your childish screams, Katerina!"** Elijah replied, while slapping her bottom.

"**LET ME GO, BASTARD!" **She screamed louder, while kicking her feet in every direction.

"**Aww Miss Katherine…We did not have to chance to exchange our "good day", how are you, did you sleep well?"** Charles said mockingly to her, while lowering his upper body, and tilting his head to look and speaking at her reverse hanging head, adding. **"I am so happy to see that you are still with us….In the Manor, I mean."**

"**Got to hell, Charles…" **Katherine answered Charles in anger, adding.** "..Hi Elizabeth! How's everything?" **

"**Is there anything I can do to help, Master Elijah?" **Charles asked him, to infuriate Katherine more, while smiling deviously.

"**No, thank you Charles, I have everything under control….Only transporting Miss Katherine at the moment, she unfortunately twisted her ankle, while taking a walk in front of the garage." **Elijah replied most of all to a speechless, mouth open Elizabeth. **"Charles, Elizabeth, enjoy your day off!**" He added to them, while carrying a furious Katherine on his back in direction of his office.

"**Now was this little moment fun or not?"** Charles said to Elizabeth, while rubbing his hands together, and winking at Elizabeth.

* * *

><p>Elijah pushed open his office door, with his right foot, before entering the room, and dropping a raging Katherine on a chair.<p>

She automatically rose on her feet, while trying to reach, with her vampire speed, the open exit, before seeing the door being slam close in her face, in a matter of one second.

"**Really, Katerina…" **He asked her, before turning her body to face him, while holding her arms above her head, with a firm grip on her wrists.

"**Damn it, Elijah…Are you always going to catch me, every time I make a step outside the Manor?" **She angrily asked him.

"**I used to think… that, if I would be able to catch you that the game would be over, Katerina…As you will recall…but not anymore." **He whispered to her, his eyes locked with hers, at a near inch of her mouth, creating a wave of shivers in all her body.

Katerina kept his stare locked with his, before lowering her head. It was the first time that Elijah was bringing one of their past encounter to her, back in 1492, and she felt uneasy with her feelings at this present moment…Everything about the past was uneasy, unforgivable, and hard to remember for her.

Elijah let her go, while showing her with a hand gesture that she could go free in the office room. She raised her sight to him, before saying:

"**I just want to take the car and go speak to her, Elijah…Elise must know something about yesterday night murder…She must! She's a witch she had a link with you, and you are an original, therefore, she must have other links to other vampires, and more so the one who killed that woman, yesterday at the banquet…I just want to see her, and politely ask her?" **Katherine told him, while putting a right hand on her waist.

"**Politely ask her, Katerina?"** Elijah repeated to her, raising one of his eyebrows, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, and smirking.

"**Well…Polite to me is only: pulling her hair out of her scalp, and scratching her pretty little face with my fingers nails." **Katherine replied to Elijah, with a devious smile on her face.

"**That's what I thought, and my answer is no!"** Elijah replied to her, while directing his walk behind his desk before taking in his hand Charles's letter, and opening it. **"I'll take care of this murder investigation, Katerina…Not you!"**

"**Why not, it's me who was unfairly pointed at by the finger as being the vampire who killed that woman." **Katherine responded to him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, and pouting.

"**But you did not kill that woman! And the murder took place on my Manor's property; therefore, it is my business, woman!" **Elijah replied to her, in a louder voice.

"**Gosh Elijah…Could you act more like you are in the twentieth century for once and not act like a cave man who's giving no freedom of speech to women!"** Katherine busted angrily at him, with both of her hands on each side of her waist.

Elijah raised his head to look at her, while smirking at her.

"**You forgot that I was a Viking once, my dear Katerina…."** He replied to her. **"...I like my women kept in my cave!"** He added before bursting into loud laughter.

Katherine stuck out her tongue to him, without him noticing, before adding more nicely:

"**Please, let me go see her….I'll be back in a short while, promise. I will only make a nice visit to Elise, and let say: force her very gently and softly to tell me the truth…I won't kill her…I swear!"** Katherine asked him, keeping her fingers crossed behind her back for the "I won't kill her" part, while approaching his standing position, and sitting on top of his desktop, in front of him, slowly raising her hands on his chest, before making suggestive caress with the tips of her fingers on his t-shirt. **"…Maybe I could convince you!"** She whispered to him with a seductive smile.

"**It is still no, Katerina!"** Elijah replied to her, while laughing at Charles letter. **"And stop playing the role of the seductive bitch who think that sex will always give her leverage to have what she wants, you perfectly know that with me it is not working…I see right through you!"** He added to her, while raising quickly his sight on her, before continuing to read Charles's letter, folding it a short moment after, and throwing it in the waste basket.

She dropped her hands, and raised her eyes on the ceiling, with a pout expression on her face, before jumping away from the desk, and directing her walk angrily toward the office door.

"**Katerina, where are you going?"** He asked her.

"**Taking my seductive bitch ass away from you…"** She lashed out at him, before opening the office door, and slamming it, leaving a speechless Elijah in front of his office desk.

* * *

><p>Elijah find her standing in front of the kitchen window, in the empty kitchen, holding a spoon in her right hand and a small box of double chocolate chip Häagen-Dazs ice cream, while looking through the window, and keeping an empty stare in front of her.<p>

Elijah approached her, before taking a sitting position on a kitchen stool, near her own standing position.

"**You're the most unpredictable, restless, and uncontrollable woman that I've known in all my life…"** Elijah started saying to her, while shaking his head from right to left, before watching her take a full spoon of ice cream in her mouth.

"**And you are the most stubborn, pretentious, and arrogant man that I've known in all my life …Is there a point to this conversation?"** She asked him, while keeping her stare in front of her, making Elijah smile, and lower his head to hide his growing amusement.

"**Yes…The point is that I want to keep you safe, Katerina…."** He whispered to her, making her finally turned her sight to look at him with surprise, before getting a grip on herself, and turning her sight back to her present task at hands. **"I won't be able to do it, if you always put yourself in danger!"** He added to her.

"**I've been looking out for myself for more than five hundred years; I don't need anybody for that!"** She replied to Elijah, while taking another spoon of ice cream.

"**And what would you do the day a man would mention…let say…"** Elijah started to ask her. **"….that he cares about you, and he wants to be with you, take care of you and keep you safe, what would be your answer to him then, Katerina?"**

"**Am I not your prisoner and mistress for life, Elijah…Difficult to have a relationship in these conditions, would you say? But most of all, do I look like the relationship type to you?" **Katerina responded while pouting in front of him.

"**You tried with the Salvatore's, haven't you?" **Elijah replied to her, before seeing her shrugged her shoulders to dismissed that fact**. "Answer me, Katerina…"** Elijah added in a whisper to her.

"**I do not believe in love, Elijah."** Katerina responded to him, while keeping her eyes locked with his. **"This phrase is ringing a bell to you?" **She added to him fearlessly.

Elijah winced for a second or two, before lowering his head.

"**Yes…But I did not pronounce the word "love", you did, Katerina…Actually, you did in both conversations, both times…Past and present!" **He said to her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest. **"What is this saying about you?" **He added tit for tat to her.

Katerina blushed and lowered her sight, before responding to him.

"**Love, carrying for someone, these are feelings that left me for ever the day I die as a human, Elijah…It means nothing to me, now…In reverse: Lust, power, seduction, game…that's way more enjoyable when you are a vampire, would you say?" **She responded to him, while seductively licking the spoon with the tip of her tongue, before taking another spoon of ice cream, and purposely dropping the melted substance on her neckline. **"Oops!"** She whispered, while biting her lips. **"I'm a bad girl…and I am all dirty now." **

Elijah smirked at her, before grabbing her left wrist, bringing her in front of his sitting position, while pushing her between his legs, with both of his hands sliding from her waist to her bottom, and his legs crossed behind hers.

"**I thought you were not playing the game when I was a seductive bitch, Elijah?" **Katherine mumbled to him, while closing her eyes, feeling his lips and tongue licking the ice cream on her neck, enjoying this intense wave of shivers he was creating inside of her right now, before grabbing his hair and pushing his head, to bring him in a nearer proximity.

"**I play when I want to play, Katerina…"** He whispered to her, while leaving a trail of hot kisses, on the left side of her neck, his lips reaching her left ear, before gently biting her lobe **"…I play especially when I know that your main purpose behind your game is only to be in my arms, like now, woman." ** He added to her, before crashing his mouth on hers; deepening his kiss further more, while playing with her tongue.

"**Elijah…"** She murmured to him, near his lips. **"…Carry me to your bedroom; let's pass this Sunday afternoon in bed." **

"**Mm…" **He mumbled to her, while detaching his lips from hers.** "You can't, you'll be busy this afternoon…Look in one of my jeans back pocket" **

"**What is this?"** She asked him, while taking the envelope in her hands.

"**It's for you…A peace offering."** He answered her, while caressing her hips, with both of his hands.

"**For what…"** Katherine asked him, while raising one of her eyebrows, and opening the envelope.

"**For you patience of being kept away, for the most part of the night…"** He responded to her, while seeing her sliding the gift certificate card from the envelope.

"**It is for treatments at a spa…"** She exclaimed, with a happy smile on her face. **"…When can I go?"** She asked him, while giggling, like a little girl in front of the Christmas tree.

"**This afternoon, if you want to…"** Elijah answered her, with a smile on his face.

"**But it is Sunday…"** She responded to him.

"**Yes, but I know the owner, and I made a phone call to her, to open the spa for you…One of her girl will be waiting…You wanted to go for a ride outside the Manor, Roger will bring you and wait for you, to bring you back here after."** Elijah explained to her.

"**The Spa owner made that favour for you? Ex-lover I suppose?"** Katherine asked him, while shrugging her shoulders.

"**Careful, Katerina…I learned that jealousy brings feelings of the "L" word afterward!"** Elijah mockingly answered her.

"**I couldn't care less, Elijah…" **She said to him, while rolling her eyes to the ceiling. **"…But this…"** She added to him, before waiving gift certificate in the air, with a big smile on her face, adding. **"…This I care….pampering, doing my nails, hair!"**

"**As the Diva that you are…" **Heresponded to her, with laughter in his voice.

"**And the Diva that you like having in your bed, hypocrite…"** She mockingly added to him.

"**I can't complain…" **He replied to her, with a smile.** "…Maybe, when you'll be back…We could have a, none romantic, none feeling, dinner together?"** He asked her, with a devious smile on his face.

"**Maybe…"** She responded to him, before taking a glimpse at him, blushing, and smiling heavenly.

They both turned their head, while hearing the swinging door of the kitchen being open.

"**Aww….Forgive my intrusion, Master Elijah, Miss Katherine…"** Charles said to both of them, while entering the kitchen, and turning back to leave it. **"…I'll let you have your privacy."**

"**No need, Charles…You can come in."** Elijah responded to his warlock friend, with a hand gesture. **"Katherine will be leaving the Manor for a couple of hours with Roger…Just to let you know." **

Charles raised one of his eyebrows in interrogation to Elijah.

"**I see**…" Charles answered Elijah, when in fact he did not understand Elijah's motivations, adding.** "…I wish you a nice ride, Miss Katherine."** He simply said to her.

"**I'm going to the spa!"** She exclaimed, while waving the card in front of Charles's face.

"**Ohhh…But of course you are going!"** Charles exclaimed, with a sarcastic smile on his face, before crossing his arms behind his back, and winking at Elijah. Everything was clear now**! "Can I also have the same bonus for my impeccable work, Master Elijah?" **

"**You'll have your check at Christmas, like every year, Charles!" **Elijah responded to him, while holding his amusement.

Katherine was still looking at her gift certificate, when she suddenly turned and took a glimpse threw the kitchen window.

"**Oh my God…Is it Gardie? Is he back?"** She exclaimed in surprise, while pushing the kitchen curtains on the side.

"**Yes, indeed, Miss Katherine…Mister Gardie is back from his garden duties in Germany." **Charles responded to her.

"**You brought him back?"** She said to Elijah, in surprise with an open mouth, while smiling at him, adding. **"Thank you…Before going to the spa, I will go and say "Hi" to him…"** She said, while taking slow walking steps toward the kitchen back door, which was leading to the Manor backyard, in expectation of seeing him told her that she was forbidden to do so. But Elijah kept quiet on his sitting position, with his arms crossed in front of his chest and a smile on his face.

"**Well…The return of Gardie is certainly bringing a smile on your face and putting you in a good mood, Miss Katherine...I'll have to thank God in my prayers tonight for this blessing!"** Charles mockingly exclaimed, while crossing his arms in front of his chest also. **"Don't you think so, Master Elijah?"** Charles added to him.

"**What is not to like about Gardie…He is like a pet, but you don't have to feed him, brush him, going for a walk with him, or pick up his poop! Perfect!"** She said to both of the men, while shrugging her shoulders with a smile, before heading outside the kitchen, making both men look at each other with pure amazement on their faces, before bursting into loud laughter.

"**Ohhhh…You have to appreciate her true honesty!"** Charles said to Elijah, while passing a hand to swept away the tears of laughter from his eyes. **"Brilliantly orchestrated, Master Elijah…Double surprises to make her loose her present interest of going out to see Mrs. Elise, I would not have done it better myself."** Charles said to him, with a big smile on his face.

"**It was sending her to the Spa for the afternoon, or having her locked up in the trunk of the limousine, while paying a visit to Elise…I opted for the easier option!"** He responded to Charles, while smiling and winking an eye at Charles, before jumping out from his stool sitting position, and walking toward the kitchen swinging door.

"**You still think that she is linked to the murder, like I do…Don't you?"** Charles asked him, more serious.

"**Yes, unfortunately I do, Charles. I feel in my guts that she knows who did it…But, she was more than happy to put the blame on Katerina's shoulders…She wants her out of the Manor." **Elijah explained to Charles, adding. **"At least, I won't have to knock heads with Katerina, she'll be at the spa!"**

"**About that….There is just one little element that is surprising me?"** Charles said sarcastically to him.

"**What element?"** Elijah asked Charles, while holding his walking pace, and turning to look at him.

"**The element of surprise for me, Master Elijah…Aren't you afraid that she will escape?"** Charles sarcastically asked him, while raising one of his eyebrows.

Elijah shrugged his shoulders, before answering Charles:

"**It's you who told me that she would not…I'll put my faith in your words…My dear friends." **Elijah answered, before nodding his head to him, and leaving the kitchen.

"**Let just put it in that sentence for now, Master Elijah…If you are not able to say that you are starting to trust her again."** Charles said out loud to himself, while smiling and taking a glimpse through the window, at Katherine and Gardie in the backyard garden.

* * *

><p>Elise took place at a small table, on the terrace of the French "Café Bistro Chez Paris", while raising a finger to ask a waiter for an espresso. It is at that moment that a middle age, very sophisticated woman, sat in front of her. <strong>"Make it two!"<strong> Elise screamed to the waiter.

"**I unfortunately don't have all day, Elise."** Gretta said nervously to her.

"**On a Sunday afternoon, what could be so urgent? Oh yes the fact that you need to get rid of someone for me!"** Elise mockingly said to the woman, before sliding a key in front of her. **"Five hundred "K" in US dollars, will be waiting for you, at a safe-deposit box in the airport, in return of your entire cooperation, your devoted silence, and your quick disappearance from England." **Elise told her. **"Tell your girl to simply drop a few drops of the bottle in the drink, and the rest in the water, like I previously explain to you, it should do the trick, in no time!"**

"**Elijah will kill the poor girl after!" **Gretta replied to her, while nervously rubbing her hands together, adding. "**And it is impossible that Katherine will not taste the vervain in the drink!"**

"**Gretta seriously, you have so little faith in me…She won't taste it…I put a spell on it….And a life of a simple employee is a small price to pay to have a bit of money in your bank account, and the chance to start your life elsewhere, would you say?"** Elise asked her.

"**I'll leave England tonight…I can't stay in here…He'll kill me the moment he will realize that I gave you the information!"** Gretta told Elise.

"**You wanted a fresh start my dear, and you were broke, especially after this horrible divorce of yours, and on the edge of a bankruptcy with your business. I am giving you your fresh start on a silver platter! I heard Montreal is beautiful in this time of the year, and in September: very colourful with leafs in trees."** Elise sadistically responded to her.

"**You are playing with fire, Elise…You'll kill yourself while doing it!"** Gretta said to her.

"**It is not my intention to loose my life, my dear Gretta, if I play my cards correctly, Elijah will be mine for life!"** She answered Gretta, with a devious smile on her face, while thanking the waiter for the coffees, and raising the small cup to her red lips.

"**Trying to contact his brother Klaus is a big mistake! He is well known for being unstable and a monster!"** Gretta lashed out at her.

"**Then, we'll make a great pair, won't we?"** She replied to Gretta, with a devious smile on her face. **"If you play your part of the deal well…I won't have to be in contact with Klaus, I'll have Elijah in my bed, not later than tonight!" **

"**But you have send Eric to find him…" **Gretta added to her.

"**I have no feeling for that vampire thug, he was only a mean to an end, nothing more…I have no utility for him, therefore his vampire life can be sacrifice!" **She angrily responded to her, adding. **"I strongly suggest that you keep this conversation to yourself Gretta, if you don't want to have the same tragic destiny that my mother had yesterday night!" **Elise added to her, in a last warning.

* * *

><p>Couple of minutes ago, Elijah had parked his black Mercedes-benz in front of Richard's and Elise's English Estate. He had been welcomed by a Spanish maid, before being asked to follow her into Richard's office.<p>

The second Elijah had stepped into Richard's office; he had sensed that something was terribly wrong…An uneasy feeling…Perks of being a vampire! Pieces of broken glasses were scattered in the room, Richard tousled hair, his wrinkled clothes, several empty glasses of alcohol on a near side table, an overturned chair on the floor.

"**Good afternoon, Richard." **Elijah said to him, while looking at the man's back. Richard was presently pouring to himself another glass, from a new bottle of scotch.

"**What is bringing you here, my dear Elijah…Especially, so soon after your delightful summer banquet?"** Richard sarcastically asked him, while trying to hold his body in a straight position, proving that the empty glasses had been drank previously by him.

"**I was wondering if I could have your permission to have a word with your wife, Elise."** Elijah asked him.

"**And why would I give a permission to see my wife to a man who's been sleeping with her for several years, behind my back, if I may add?"** Richard angrily exclaimed to him, while turning to look straight into Elijah's eyes, before crashing his glass on the wall. **"Answer me!"** Richard screamed at him.

"**It is true!" **Elijah confirmed to him, adding.** "I'm not a coward, Richard, I won't stand in front of you, and deny it….But, don't act like a fool and an hypocrite…You knew that she was unfaithful to you for years!"** Elijah replied to him, while keeping his eyes locked with the angry man.

"**Yes I knew that she was having affairs…It was to be expected, I was never at home…And much older than she is…We had an agreement, me and her…I knew, But I never suspected you, of all man!"** Richard screamed back at him, adding. "**She told me that she is in love with you, and she wants to have a divorce!"**

"**Elise is in love with power and money…Our affair ended months ago, Richard…I suspect she is trying to build in her imagination something that never existed!" **Elijah responded to him.** "A murder took place at my Manor, yesterday night, during the banquet; I am suspecting that she had something to do with it…" **Elijah added to him.

"**What?" **Richard exclaimed, while taking a sitting position on an armchair, and taking a big gulp of his scotch. **"How can this be possible?" **

"**Tied links is leading me to her…" **Elijah said to Richard.** "Just…Don't let her play with us like fools." **Elijah added to him.

"**No Elijah, not you…Only him!"** They heard a woman voice saying behind them, before turning to see Elise standing under the arch of the office door. **"You'll die peacefully Richard…"** Elise added to his husband, with a sadistic smile.

Everything that followed, happen so quickly that Elijah could not have seen it come in advance, Richard hold his chest, dropping his glass of scotch, before falling on the floor in pain and agony.

"**You poisoned him?" **Elijah screamed at her, before kneeling urgently on the floor beside Richard.

"**I did what I had to do, to be with you…"** Elise replied to Elijah, adding. "…**Everybody will think that it's a heart attack…I prepared the mixture….After his dead, the mixture components will disappear from his system…We'll finally be able to be together, Elijah!" **

"**What did you used?"** Elijah angrily screamed louder at her, while untying the knot of Richard tie, to help him breathe, before tearing his wrist open, freeing his blood, to put it in front of Richard's mouth.

"**Your blood won't help him live, Elijah! I used a powerful witch mixture…Nothing will link his death to you or me…"** Elise screamed at him. **"…He'll be dead in a minute or two."**

"**Oh, Jesus Maria…"** The maid alerted by the screams said, while entering the office, before putting a hand on her chest.

"**Called an ambulance…" **Elijah screamed to the maid, making her rush outside to reach the nearest phone.

"**Elijah…Let him die!"** Elise screamed at him, while rubbing nervously her hand together.

"**For God sake woman, get a grip on yourself and on reality, **Elijah screamed at her, while holding Richard in his arms, before raising his head to look at her.

"**Elijah, I took care of the only two obstacles between us: I took care of him, and I took care of her…We'll be able to be together for eternity…I'll perform a curse that will keep me young forever by your side, or you'll turn me…as you wish!"** She mumbled almost incoherently to him.

"**What you mean you took care of her also?"** Elijah angrily asked her, suddenly worried by her insanity.

"**I had to find a way to get rid of her, I love you, and I want to be with you!"** She said to him, in desperation, while rubbing nervously her hand together.

"**Elise, I never loved you…And I never will!" **Elijah angrily said to her.

She felt tears of shame and hurt running on her face, closing her fists in anger, while suddenly rushing outside the office, before grabbing her handbag on the entrance console table, and leaving the manor.

"**Elise!"** Elijah screamed at her, before seeing the maid came back in the office. **"What is your name?"** Elijah asked the maid.

"**Maria…"** The maid responded to him nervously.

"**Maria…Come here…Don't be scare!" **Elijah told her, adding.** "I can hear the sirens of the ambulance, you have to hold him, help is coming…He was…No, I mean he had a heart attack, you understand?" **Elijah asked her, before seeing her kneeled near Richard's body, and nodding her head to him.

"**Ok…"** Elijah said to her. **"..Keep him comfortable!"** He added to the maid, before rushing outside in his vampire speed, taking place in his luxurious sport car, starting the engine, pushing the gas pedal on full speed, and grinding the tires.

* * *

><p>Katherine entered the Spa lodge entrance, and was amazed to see the opulence and richness of the place, and the warm feeling of the décor. The reception windows were giving a splendid view of the mountains…It was spectacular and breathtaking….She turned on herself to face a elegant, middle age, blond hair woman.<p>

"**Hi, I'm Katherine…"** She said to the lady, while holding out her hand to her.

"**Gretta, nice to meet you, my dear."** The woman, who had perfect manicure nail, responded to her, while taking Katherine's hand in hers.

"**You're the owner, aren't you?" **Katherine asked her.

"**Yes, I am!"** Gretta answered her, while showing to Katherine, with a hand gesture, to follow her into a narrow wooded walls corridor.

"**I thought one of your employees would be present?"** Katherine asked her, making Gretta wince for a second or two.

"**She was sick, unfortunately… It will be me who will take care of you…It is my pleasure to accommodate your needs today, Katherine…Elijah brought me many customers over the year…I'm very grateful to him! And my dear, I know what he is, and know what you are…And it doesn't bother me the least." **She answered Katherine with a timid smile, while nervously rubbing her hands together. They entered a spacious lounge room; Greta directed her walk toward a wooden wardrobe before taking from inside a white terry cloth robe.

"**The changing rooms are on that side…When you'll be undressed, we could start the care….Can I pour you a glass of champagne, my dear?" **Gretta asked Katherine.

"**Water would be fine!"** Katherine answered her, while taking the terry cloth robe from Gretta's hands, before entering the changing room.

Gretta reached the bar, poured two glasses of water, with her shaky hands…before taking the bottle received by Elise from under a shelf. If ever Elise had messed up the spell…She could already say that she was as good as dead!

* * *

><p>Charles entered his private quarter, before directing his walk toward his wooded wardrobe. He opened it, and took a hidden wooded box from inside, before opening its cover, and reaching for a bunch of articles inside. He had kept a few articles about <em>Eleonore Greenwich<em> for years. Something was uneasy to him since her recent death of last night. He could not put his finger on it…But he knew that this box could maybe contain the answer he was looking for.

After looking at different articles and pictures, he finally found an old article about Eleonore, in her earlier stage of life, and the mention of a daughter, _Elisa Maria Pedres_. The child was carrying probably the family name of her father. Charles lowered his sight on the picture, before opening his mouth and eyes.

"**Oh dear Lord…"** He exclaimed to himself. **"…That explains everything!"**

There was no question about it…._Elisa Maria Pedres_ was in fact Elise!

Charles mobile rang, and he answered it.

"**How bad is it? Rush to her…I'll try to protect her from a distance, with a spell…I'll try…And, I'll take care of the rest!"** He responded before hanging his phone, and directed his walk toward an old book on a shelf: his "Grimoire".

* * *

><p>Elise passed the airport security gate, and finally closed her eyes, while taking a deep breath. She made it! And she was now on her way to the United State, to meet this stupid Eric! But at least, she had made it alive! She had realized that between running to catch her and rip her heart off her chest and saving his precious Katherine…Elijah would have chosen the second option.<p>

She turned to pick up her handbag on the treadmill, before having the distinct feeling of being watched, she turned on herself before seeing Charles Brownston who was standing behind the security string.

"**Charles Brownston…To what do I owe this pleasure?"** Elise mockingly asked him, while approaching him, without leaving her security parameters.

"**Mrs. **_**Elisa Maria Pedres**_**…Daughter of Elonore Greenwich."** Charles greeted her.

"**How did you find out?"** Elise asked Charles, as white as a ghost, while holding her breath in shock.

"**Actually my dear, it found me!"** Charles started explaining, adding. **"I had in my possession a few newspaper articles of your mother…I came across of an old one…With a picture of you and Eleonore…You must have been fourteen or fifteen on that picture, but you looked exactly the same!" **

"**So? My mother and I lost contact several years ago…" **Elise responded to Charles. **"…That doesn't mean anything!"**

"**It must be the reason why you weren't able to recognize her dead body yesterday night then?" **Charles said to her.

"**How did** **you find me?" **She angrily asked him.

Charles kept silent.

"**Well, well…Charles, you are surprising me!" **She said to him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, adding.** "You did a whereabouts spell on me? I thought you had retired from your pathetic warlock life?" **Elise added harshly to him.

"**The pathetic warlock that I am could take you down in an instant, Mrs. Elise, and you know it!"** Charles said to her.

"**Is it Elijah who had sent you after me? Well it's too late…I'm bye-bye gone now…Tell him that I will send my regards to his brother, when I find him of course…Klaus is his name, isn't it?" **

"**Who was the vampire who killed your mother, or more so, who did you pay to kill your mother? Assuring by doing so, that you were taking her title away from her, or am I too far from the truth? You wanted so much to become the first most powerful witch" **Charles told her.

"**I will be the most powerful witch, mark my word on this…This is getting so interesting Charles…" **She replied, while smiling deviously to him, and crossing her arms in front of her chest, adding. **"…You see, this vampire and me, we had something in common. We had been abandoned by a parent…Me, my mother, and him, his father…As for recognizing my mother, Charles Brownstown, I had no problem recognizing her…But as for you, you were certainly not able to recognize your own son!" **She busted angrily in his face, making Charles startling on shock.

"**What are you talking about, Mrs. Elise?"** Charles asked her.

"**Is the name Sebastien Brownston ringing a bell to you, Charles?" **Elise asked him, adding. **"Well, he became Eric the vampire thug…Yes, he finally turned! Like he always wanted…And like you always forbidden him to do!" **She lashed out at him.

Charles put a hand on his chest, and turned to get a grip on himself, totally in shock of what she just had said to him. And it is at that moment that the memory of a strange encounter, who took place in last night banquet, came back to him.

**ooOoo**

"_Thank you for helping him, Eleonore!" Charles said to her. _

"_He is one of the few good ones among them, Charles, I had no reason to not do it…I just hope that he will be able to help his brother…I unfortunately think that Klaus has reached to point of none return!" _

"_I honestly doubt that he could help his brother!" Charles responded to her, while looking at Eleonore, not seeing the young man who was bumping to him in the corridor. _

"_Oh…Please accept my deepest apologies for bumping into you; I am so clumsy sometimes…Enjoy your evening!" The young man said to both of them, before raising his sight at them and freezing on the spot at the view of Charles, before leaving them in a hurry after nodding his head to them, and avoiding Charles stare, while continuing his walk. _

"_Charles? Are you ok?" Eleonore asked him, adding. "..You are white as a ghost my dear…" _

"_I'm ok!" He responded to her, while putting himself back together, and walking by her side again. "Please forgive me…For two seconds; I thought I recognised that young man…" He added to Eleonore, before shaking his head in disbelief._

**ooOoo**

"**He turned?"** Charles exclaimed in shock to her.

"**Yes, he did! And do you see the irony of it all, my dear Charles?"** Elise told him, adding. **"You abandoned your own son, who wanted to be turned as a vampire, but yet, you took Elijah under your wings, and he is like a son to you, and an Original vampire! Almost laughable, if it is was not so tragic and unforgivable for Eric!"**

"**Sebastian, his name is Sebastian….And, you know nothing about the past, how can you judge others after the demonic things you just did, you kill your own mother, **_**Elisa**_**?**" Charles asked her, with disdain in his tone of voice, while purposely naming her by her birth name.

"**No Charles, I did not kill her…Your vampire son did, I just witnessed it, without moving a finger!"** She sadistically answered him, adding. **"Now…I wonder to whom you'll give your loyalty to: the abandoned son or Elijah?" **

"**Neither, I won't have to chose…I'll let faith decide of your destinies…The day Elijah will kill you, and he will, I want him to do it without knowing that you are Eleonore's daughter…I swear on my life that I will never tell him…If he knew, he would spare you life as memory of your mother. He is too much a man of honour, and you are not deserving of your human life anymore and even less deserving of you power as a witch…As for my son, he had chosen his path to hell, let him burn in there!" **He lashed out at her.

Charles lowered his head; while catching his breath, he could not believe what his own son had become! He always knew that he wanted to turn, and become a vampire, in a vain quest of power and eternity. When he raised his head again, Elise had left his sight.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth rushed to open the entrance door of the Manor. Elijah entered while holding an unconscious Katherine in his arms.<p>

"**Elizabeth, go home!"** Elijah ordered her to do, adding. **"This is not concerning you…I don't want you to take part in this." **

"**With all your respect, Master Elijah…If you think for a second that I will let you handle Miss Katherine wounds alone, you are sadly mistaken…And more so, if you think that I don't know what was going on in this Manor since the first day I enter these walls, and started to work for you…Then, you are taking me for a fool!" **She replied to him, while raising one of her eyebrows, with a scowl.

"**Thank you!"** Elijah whispered, while timidly smiling to her, before rapidly directing his walk toward the stairs.

"**How bad is it?**' Elizabeth asked him, extremely worried.

"**Bad…"** Elijah nervously answered her. **"She drank and fell into a tank full of vervain water; it's a lethal plant for vampires!"**

"**I know…" **She responded to him, while nodding her head, making Elijah raised one of his eyebrows surprised.** "But usually, vampires are able to feel the aftertaste…Miss Katherine better than anybody!" **Elizabeth said to him, in shock.

"**That bitch of Elise must have put a spell on it…I'm just guessing, I have no idea!"** Elijah exclaimed in anger, while climbing the stairs, with Elizabeth behind him, who was carrying fresh washcloths and body towels on her arms.

He pushed the door of his bedroom, while entering inside and delicately lying Katherine burned body on his bed, before taking a sitting position near her ravaged body near her, and trying to get rid of his blazer jacket that he had dressed her naked body with.

Elizabeth laid her right hand on top of his shaking hands, to hold his present movements.

"**Why don't you let me do it, Master Elijah?"** She whispered to him, with a soothing voice, adding. **"…I'll undress her, and I'll take care of the woman you love…"** She added with a smile. **"…It will be our little secret; I won't tell your real feelings to anybody." **

Elijah raised his sight to her with surprise, before nodding his head to her, and leaving the bedroom, directing his walk toward his study – office room.

Elizabeth took place on the bed, while slowly sliding the jacket away from Katherine's body, while putting a hand on her mouth, to hold her screams and tears, after seeing the extend of her wounds.

* * *

><p>Charles rushed inside the Manor, directing his walk toward the light that he saw coming from Elijah's office.<p>

"**How is she?"** He asked Elijah, who was standing in front of his desk, his arms straightened on his desktop, his head down between them, with a empty bottle of Brandy placed at his side.

"**Elizabeth is with her…She's in bad condition, but she's fighting…Never seen these kinds of wounds before, Charles…And I've seen a lot of them in thousands of years, believe me…She must have put a spell and mix something with the vervain!"** Elijah said to Charles, while raising his teary sight to him.

Charles nodded his head to him.

"**I'll go see her…And I'll do my best to safe her, Master Elijah!"** Charles responded to Elijah. **"What happen there?"** He questioned him.

Elijah lowered his head, before passing a nervous hand on his hair.

"**For what I could gather, Gretta, the owner made her drink something….and pushed her in the spa whirlpool full of vervain!"** Elijah lashed out at Charles.

"**I don't understand, Miss Katherine would have reacted? Except…"** Charles said to Elijah, while pacing back and forth, adding. **"…If she was immobilized with some kind of a spell, which gave the time to the vervain to poison her system!"**

Elijah nodded his head in approbation.

"**After these turn of events, it would be safe to presume that the owner is not breathing anymore?"** Charles whispered, making Elijah raised his sight on him, with shame in his eyes, before nodding his head in approbation. **"Did you cover it?" **Charles asked him.

"**I could not control myself... I snapped her neck, and pushed her in the water…They'll think that she committed suicide…" **Elijah replied to Charles.** "…I promised myself…I promised myself…Not in here!" **Elijah repeated in anger to Charles, while punching the top of his desk in anger.

"**Yes, but, you snapped …It's understandable…I almost had the urge to kill someone myself today…So, I won't be the one to judge!"** Charles responded to him.

"**What about Elise?"** Elijah angrily mumbled in his teeth.

Charles froze for a quick moment, and decided to cover the part that he promised to himself to never uncover.

"**She was at the airport…And, by the terminal where I find her, I would guess that she was taking off for America, but I couldn't say where…And Richard?"** Charles informed him.

"**Just checked the hospital…He's declared dead, heart attack…Isn't it ironic?"** Elijah whispered to him, while shaking his head from right to left, reaching for another bottle of alcohol on a console table, before angrily crashing it on the wall.

"**I can't loose her, not that way…!"** He screamed to Charles.

"**I know son…And we won't lose her!" **Charles repeated to him, before rapidly directing hiswalk toward Elijah's upstairs bedroom, while noticing that it was difficult to believe that a couple of hours before, it was the quietness that was filling the Manor's wall.

* * *

><p>Elijah passed the arch of his bedroom, and saw Katherine awake and looking toward the open door at him, her head on his pillow, her body under the blankets.<p>

"**Next time you offer me a gift certificate for an afternoon at a Spa, to lure me away from your murder investigation…I will throw it back at your face and kick your vampire Original ass so hard, that you won't be able to walk the day after!"** Katherine said to him, with a small smirk on her face.

Elijah closed his eyes for a second, before opening them again, relieved to see her acting as herself again, she was still very weak…but her spirit was back. He lowered the right side of his body on the arch door, while crossing his arms on his chest.

"**Deal…"** He responded, while smiling back at her.

"**Thank you for saving me."** She murmured to him.

"**You're welcome, Katerina…"** He replied to her, while savouring the feeling of the sound of her name on his tongue and ears. **"…Did you blood feed?"**

"**Yes! And almost fainted when I saw Elizabeth brought me blood, on a platter, in a soup bowl, that she had reheat, while feeding me with a spoon…If the vervain did not kill me previously, this almost did!"** She said to him, with a mocking tone in her voice.

"**She knows…"** He said to her, while lowering his head to hide his amusement.

"**That much I figured…."** Katherine responded to him.

"**Why is there a poppy sleeping on my bedspread?"** Elijah asked; falsely mad at her, while taking steps to reach the bed.

"**Charles told me that Gardie had found him near a bushes in the garden, he was left out outside the manor since last night banquet…Not surprised, coming from that bitch…" **She explained to Elijah.** "…I figured that the Manor could need a watchdog." **

"**You figure that, did you?"** Elijah repeated to her, with a smile, while caressing the poppy's head. **"How are you Max?"** Elijah asked the dog, while caressing the poppy's head, making the puppy licked his fingers.

"**He likes you…"** She murmured to him. **"It's normal, after all Max was named after a part of you!"** She added sarcastically to him, with a smile on her face, making Elijah laughed.

"**No, I think he likes you…"** Elijah said to her, while seeing Max put his head on Katherine's covered legs, while locking his eyes with her, and loosing his amusement in a second. **"…I'm so sorry, Katerina, all of this was entirely my fault."** He confessed to her, while caressing her left cheek with the back of his right hand, the wounds on her face were starting to heal.

"**No! It was not…Elise was born a bitch, she'll die one!"** She murmured to him, while grabbing his hand. **"Though, your choice in woman companionship used to suck, it got better with me." **She sarcastically added to him, making him smile.

"**I'll let you rest…"** Elijah whispered to her, before rising on his feet.

"**Elijah…"** Katherine called, while holding him beside her, with a grip on his hand. **"Stay with me…Don't leave me, ok…just for a short while?"**

Elijah raised the blanket and took place under it, while bringing her in his arms, his chin in top of her head, his hand caressing her hair.

"**I'll stay with you, till you'll fall asleep…"** He murmured in top of her hair.

Yes, Katerina Petrova have been looking out for herself for the last five hundred years, but it is in the arms of a man that she had despised all her life, that she safely fell asleep.

* * *

><p>"<strong>You can't be serious, Master Elijah?"<strong> Charles asked him, while staring at the suitcase placed beside Elijah standing position in the entrance of the manor.

"**Take care of her recovery, Charles."** Elijah simply said to him, while putting his passport, in the inside pocket of his blazer. **"I'll sleep at a hotel near the airport tonight…and I will take the first flight to New York, tomorrow morning…I have business there…I should be back in a couple of months."**

"**With all respect, Master Elijah, I would like to talk to you like as a friend." **Charles said to him, with a made ton in his voice.

Elijah raised his sight, before nodding his head to him.

"**This is the most cowardly move you ever made, son! What are you thinking? You can't leave her alone now!"** Charles busted at Elijah.

"**What happened to her was entirely my fault, Charles…I made huge mistakes along the way!" **Elijah replied to him.

"**So? You deal with these mistakes and you move on! You don't run away like a coward…Face them like a man…I never thought that you were so weak…What is happening to you?" **Charles asked him.

"**The part of the conversation between friends just ended Charles…"** Elijah responded coldly to him, adding. **"The manor will have high security, with men posted around it; day and night…She can stay if she wants to stay…If she wants to leave…Let her go!"** Elijah added to him, emotionless, while grabbing his luggage in his right hand.

"**You are putting her in danger by leaving, Master Elijah, because you can face your feelings for this woman!"** Charles replied to him.

Elijah put his right hand on the golden door handle of the main entrance door, while holding his movement for a second, before turning himself slightly to look at Charles.

"**I have put her in grander danger by bringing her in England…She was safer by her own!"** Elijah replied to Charles, before turning the handle, and leaving the manor.

Charles lowered his head, while closing his eyes.

"**Oh Mister Charles, tell me that Master Elijah did not just leave now?"** Elizabeth asked him, while arriving in the entrance.

"**Unfortunately my dear, it's true…" **Charles responded to her.

Elijah directed his rapid walking steps toward his limousine driver, while giving his luggage to him, to put in the trunk, before seeing Roger open the passenger door for him to take place.

He never saw the woman shadow behind the lace curtains of his upstairs bedroom window. She was watching him leave, while sweeping her tears away from her face.

* * *

><p>It was the middle of the night; Katherine was sitting on the front porch, on one of the rattan chair, with Max sleeping at her feet, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, while sweeping her tears away from her eyes, her face turned in an angle forbidden anybody to see her cry… when suddenly, she heard foot steps reaching her sitting position.<p>

Charles leaned his back on the porch ramp, a little behind her, before crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**It's the middle of the night …You should be in bed!"** Charles simply said to her, while lowering his head for an instant. **"He'll be back**! **It is his home, as much as it is yours now, Miss Katherine. He'll cool off for a couple of months, and he'll be back…He's just mad at himself…He really wanted to keep you safe, I can solemnly attest to that. He's far from being a monstrous man…He's loyal, has strong morality value, and he's a man of his words…I know there are unspoken issues between the two of you and a heavy past….But…He's as lost as you are, sometimes…For probably, the same reason. He asked me to tell you that if you wanted to stay, you could…But, if you wanted to leave, you could also…But, I think you should stay." **

Katherine kept her silence, while wrapping herself more in the blanket.

"**In the meantime, you'll have me, Elizabeth, Gardie…The staff…and Max, now!"** He continued saying to her, while smiling at the poppy that was sleeping at her feet. **"They all love you very dearly, Miss Katherine…And loosing you would leave an enormous void in the Manor…I sincerely need to bicker you everyday, with everything that I got in me…It is like breathing to me, now" **He added with a small laughter in his voice, continuing.** "I'll hope you'll stay with us. Winter is coming, and like I said: This is your home now!" **He added to her.

She kept quiet, her sight lost in the emptiness of the night in front of her, while feeling tears running fluently on her cheeks.

Charles broke away from the porch ramp, taking a few steps to reach her sitting position, lowering his upper body near her head, before slowly kissing her forehead, like a father would have done to his daughter, and not even a second later, straightening his body, like nothing had happened.

"**Solitude is a heavy weight often carried with deep sadness by humans….It is way worst for vampires, Miss Katherine, don't let it change your soul…forbidden you to become the best that you could be…Let your humanity shine, and most of all, open your heart to love once again." **Charles said to her, before slowly directing his walk away from her.

"**Charles?"** He heard her whisper to him.

"**Yes?"** He answered to her, surprised to hear her speak to him.

"**I know that you had put a spell to protect me, when I was slowly dying from the vervain…You went against nature…You can't go against death, without repercussions, especially if you do it for a vampire."** Katherine asked him.

"**Yes, I did…And, I know!"** Charles responded to her.

"**But…You despite everything that goes against the law of nature!"** Katherine said to him.

"**Yes…And I still am against it…but, if I'll have to do it all again to safe you…I would do it…again and again!"** He responded to her.

"**Thank you…"** She said to him, in a murmur.

"**You're welcome, Miss Katherine."** He answered her.

"**And… Charles? Did you just kiss my forehead just now?" **She added, while mocking him.

"**Miss Katherine! I think you are seriously hallucinating…Must be a secondary effect of the vervain!" **He responded falsely outraged to her, while holding his amusement.

"**It must be…"** She answered him, with a timid smile.

"**And to think that this was my day off…." **He said to her, while rolling his eyes above, shaking his head in disbelief, and smiling.** "I let you rest!"** He added to her, before directing his walk toward the entrance of the manor, slowly turning and adding. **"Tomorrow is a brand new day…I just hope that you'll be a part of it, Miss Katherine…With us, for a long time, in the Manor!"**

* * *

><p><strong>As always, I can't wait to read you my readers!<strong>

**I have with me, following my chapters, the best readers group, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart, for your love and dedication of this story.**

**Next chapter: **Holly Jolly Christmas!


	12. Holly Jolly Christmas

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**- Lovely Vero - **

**Writer's note****: **I almost renamed this chapter as: _**Holly cow it's Christmas!**_ … (LOL)…You'll soon understand why, it won't be the calmest Christmas in the Manor for sure. I could easily see the images in my head of Elijah's Manor decorated with beautiful and exquisite ornaments. I really put all my feelings into this chapter, and in return, this chapter put me into the real meaning and spirit of Christmas. I smiled; I laughed, I felt sad and all fuzzy inside. It was like Russian mountains! I hope this chapter will do the same for you.

For those of my readers who want to follow my story with images, videos, and with _**previews of chapters**_ to come in the future, and background of it all, you can do it on my fan fiction _Tumblr_ page, listed on my profile page on this site.

**Inspirational songs for this chapter****:** The excellent Christmas CD of **Michael Bublé**.

* * *

><p><em>I don't want a lot for Christmas<em>_  
><em>_There's just one thing I need__  
><em>_I don't care about the presents__  
><em>_Underneath the Christmas tree__  
><em>_I just want you for my own__  
><em>_More than you could ever know__  
><em>_Make my wish come true__  
><em>_All I want for Christmas is...__  
><em>_You_

(Song – _All I want for Christmas is you_)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

**HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Prologue of Chapter 12<strong>_

_Three days after Master Elijah's abrupt departure of the Manor, 9:30 a.m._

Charles directed his walking steps into the corridor toward the downstairs study–library of the Manor, while keeping his stare on the newspapers that he was holding in his hands, when suddenly his left foot hit an object in his walking path. **"Shit!"** He swore out loud, while looking at his foot, before raising his sight and noticing that Katherine was standing on a ladder, with a feather duster in one hand, and a wet cloth in the other.

"**Should I even ask, Miss Katherine?" **Charles said to her, with a sour expression on his face, feeling his left big toe burning, while raising his sight to the ceiling and tilting his head to the left, to have a better view of her standing position on the ladder. She was, at first sight, cleaning the above of each door frame of the manor.

"_**Shit**_**, to you too, Charles…"** Katherine greeted him, in a mocking tone of voice. **"I'm taking care of my tasks, dusting and cleaning the above of the door frame."** Katherine explained to him, in a more detached voice.

"**You don't say, Miss Katherine…"** He responded to her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, and rolling his eyes to the ceiling. **"…And I figure that this new occupation of yours, will keep you busy, and that you'll stay with us for much longer."**

"**Nope…It means that I will leave in a couple of days, **_**Charlie**_**…" **Katherine mockingly responded to Charles, while making emphasize on his new nickname, and adding**. "Elizabeth is injured and I offered to help her…Nothing more!"** She added to him, while avoiding lowering her sight to look at him, feeling her cheeks blush, with her poor excuse, and explanation, of her staying in the Manor. The real truth being that she did not want to leave.

"**Elizabeth? She's injured?"** Charles asked her, anxiously.

"**I thought you knew…"** Katherine asked him surprised, while stopping her task at hands, and lowering her sight to look at him.

"**Of course Mister Charles knows!"** They heard a voice answer them, before turning their sights at Elizabeth who was directing her walking steps to reach them. **"He is just not aware of your so nice offer to help me out with my daily tasks for the time being, Miss Katherine."**

Charles stared at Elizabeth with big, amazed, open eyes.

"**Don't tell me you had already forgotten?**" She said to him, while turning her back, forbidding Katherine to see her facial expression. **"I've injured my wrist at the summer banquet…and yesterday I went to see the doctor, and he told me that I have a sprained wrist." **She explained to him, while holding her bandage wrist in front of his eyes, adding. **"You do remember, don't you, Mister Charles?" **She asked him, while winking an eye at him, explaining in signs to him, the present connivance.

"**Yes, Oh yes…It is starting to get back to me, Elizabeth!"** He replied to her, while bending his upper body toward her standing position, and winking back at her.

"**Miss Katherine is an angel…She will take care of NINETY FIVE door frames in the manor…and after, she will be rubbing the silverware, there is also…"** Elizabeth began to list, being cut by Katherine.

"**How many…"** Katherine said in amazement to Elisabeth, adding. **"And what…Rubbing the silverware, you did not inform me about that specific task, Elizabeth?" **

"**Ohhh I'm so sorry, Miss Katherine… It is obviously too much to ask, isn't it? I understand that you would want to leave as soon as possible…The important thing, really, is that I was able to help you when you were yourself injured…" **She added to her, while taking aquick glimpse at Charles, who was hiding his hilarity behind his right hand.

"**Well…It is changing my entire initial plan…But, It would be possible for me to stay couple of days more…"** Katherine mumbled in her teeth, while continuing her task at hands, and passing the cleaning duster above the door frame.

"**Oh you are very kind, Miss Katherine, I truly appreciate your helping hands...Don't you think that Miss Katherine is helpful and charitable, Mister Charles?"** Elizabeth asked him, while elbowing him.

"**Yes…Indeed, I could easily think that she is Mother Teresa!"** He replied to Elizabeth, with a sarcastic tone of voice.

Katherine grinned at Charles, saying:** "**_**Charlie**_**, don't you have somewhere to be, something to do now? If you stay and talk to me all day, I won't be able to finished my tasks and leave as soon as possible…"** Katherine asked Charles, while waiving her hand as a dismissal gesture to him.

"_**Charlie**_?" Elizabeth asked Charles, while raising one of her eye and holding her need to burst into laughter.

Charles shrugged his shoulders, while shaking his head, and rolling his eyes to the ceiling, while pushing Elizabeth in the corridor, to leave Katherine.

"**Have a nice day, Miss Katherine…"** Elizabeth said to her.

"**Same to you, Elizabeth…And don't move your wrist too much, you hear me!"** Katherine said to her, while breathing a sigh of relief. She would be able to stay at least one more week, if she was taking her time to do all the tasks asked of her.

Elizabeth and Charles directed their walk down the stairs.

"**Elizabeth! You little devilish woman that you are…"** He said to her, in a mocking tone of voice.

"**Well…, Mister Charles, a so little lie could not offend God too much, would you say? It is for a good cause after all" **She replied to him, with a smile on her face. **"You think that she will stay till Master Elijah's return, Mister Charles?"** She asked him, whit a more worried tone of voice.

Charles turned his sight to look at her, before shaking his head from left to right.

"**I don't know, my dear…It's in the hands of God, and probably in yours, with your next conniving plan to make her stay!"** He added, while rubbing his hands together, before reaching for couple of caramel candies in his pants pocket. **"Candy my dear?" **He asked Elizabeth, while handing one, and winking at her.

* * *

><p><em>Four months later,<em>

_December 24th, in the morning,_

_Elijah's Manor_

Summer had handed its heat to the autumn, who itself handed its freshness to the cold winter. If Katherine had to count the number of times that she had almost left the manor, in the four past months …her two hands would not be enough! And here she was once again: staying in the Manor! This time, for the _**Christmas Manor Staff Celebration**_! At the demand, or should she say: the begging of all the staff, for her to be present at their Christmas lunch who should take place today, in the master dinning room. After all the sick maids that she had to replaced, apparently caused by an epidemic of a rare flu that had put almost everyone in sick leave, she had came to the conclusion that Charles and Elizabeth had managed to create make believe - plots, and play with her feelings to make her stay as long as possible. And every time, it was with a sigh of relief that she was accepting to stay a bit longer.

"**Jingle bells, jingle bell, jingle all the way…"** Two maids were singing in the Manor's corridor, while running and passing beside Katherine, adding. **"…Miss Katherine, come in the parlour/ballroom, all the staff is decorating the Christmas tree!"** They added to her, while continuing to run, and giggling like young children.

"**I'm on my way, girls!"** She replied to them, while smiling back at them and waving a hand, before loosing her smile a second later, shrugging her shoulders, while thinking of Elijah suddenly. She did not give a damn about him anymore! Or so she kept saying to herself. No one in the Manor had ever pronounced the name of _Master Elijah_ in front of her; therefore, she had no clue where he was, or if he would be back soon, or ever.

She directed her walking steps toward the parlour/ballroom, where all the staff was meeting to put the decoration on the big tree. Most of the days, she was not thinking about Elijah. She kept his memory at arms length, away from her mind and more so….And that part, she was hiding it so well ….away from her heart!

Today, most of the staff was wearing casual clothes; jeans, winter colourful sweaters… it was their day, their recognition for their annual work in the Manor – Graciously offered by the big and mostly missing _**boss**_. The ornaments would be put on the enormous tree in the Parlour/Ballroom in a short moment. The chief was preparing a traditional English and British Christmas lunch, which including the turkey, cranberry sauce, roast potatoes, chestnut stuffing, parsnips, bread sauce, pigs in blanket….the delightful scent of cinnamon candles filled the air, laughter and Christmas songs could be heard everywhere in the corridors.

Katherine was for the first time of her vampire life…What was she exactly? She thought to herself, while directing her walking steps toward the entrance of the Manor….Yes! That was the right sentence…_She was happy_! She was feeling like she had finally re-found and rebuilt a family. Even if it was only a foster one, for her it made no difference. Everything about celebrating Christmas at the Manor was perfect, everything, except, for two important missing elements: _**Snow**_ and the absence of the one and only "_**Master Elijah**_"!

"**Miss Katherine….Mistletoe…" **Katherine heard in her ears, while turning on herself, and seeing Gardie raising a branch of Mistletoe in top of their heads.

"**Well…That is certainly not fair, Gardie…You're playing a very naughty game, with me now!" **She replied to Gardie, while tilting her head to the right, smirking at him, and shaking her finger in front of his face, with her other hand placed on her waist.

"**Miss Katherine…It is Christmas, the most magical moment of the year…And the magic of the Mistletoe!" **Gardie replied to her, whilekeeping the mistletoe above their head, and showing his left cheek to her.

Katherine giggled and lowered her head to kiss him softly on the cheek.

"**Wooooo…."** He started to scream, a hand on his chest, in a make believe that he was holding his heart in his hand, while turning and turning on himself. **"Miss Katherine, I'm in love…"** He said to her, while pumping his imaginary heart with his left hand in front of his chest.

Katherine smiled at him, before tousling his hair.

"**Gardie you are in love with the entire feminine staff of this manor…"** Katherine replied to him, adding in a mocking tone of voice. **"…I don't know why I never noticed that before."**

"**But Miss Katherine, my heart belongs only to you, now and forever…" **He added to her, while tilting his head to the left, with the biggest smile on his face.

"**Miss Katherine, here you are…"** Elizabeth called her, adding. **"Come inside my dear."** She asked Katherine to do, with a hand gesture.

Katherine entered the parlour/ballroom, only to see in front of her, the grandest Christmas tree she ever saw in her life. The maids were taking beautiful ornaments from different cardboard boxes, to place it on the said tree.

"**Come help us!"** Gardie screamed to her, before running to meet two maids who were placing Christmas balls on the tree.

"**Hey!"** Katherine said to Charles, while reaching his standing position, and raising her body in a sitting position on top of a side console table, before putting her high heels boots on top of a chair, while titling her head to the right, and taking from Charles's hands, his own glass of eggnog, before raising it in the air, to toast him, and taking her first gulp, leaving Charles speechless. **"Gosh! You devil! You put alcohol in it!" **She exclaimed to him in laughter.

"**Well…Miss Katherine, How nice of you to join us here…Would you like me, to pour you a glass?"** He asked her sarcastically, while winking at her at the alcohol part.

"**Now…Look who's here…If it's not "**_**Charlie the Grinch",**_** who have stolen the spirit of Christmas!" **She replied to him, while passing her tongue to him.

Charles directed his walk toward the small bar, before pouring to himself another glass of the eggnog, he then came back beside Katherine, but not before nodding his head and smiling to Elizabeth, who was putting ornaments on the Christmas tree with one of the girls, making Katherine watch the scene with a smirk on her lips.

"**Can't believe that her husband is still alive...When is he going to die anyway? Gosh….He's making everybody wait! Especially you! You're like Max who's waiting for his bone!"** She said to Charles.

"**Miss Katherine!"** Charles exclaimed to her, amazed by her saying, adding. **"Would it be possible for you to have a little bit more of respect?"**

"**Possible, not really…But it's true! I have nothing against the man for say, but, he's been in pain and suffering, and suffering, for months, and making everybody's life a hell on earth, he should die already….Elizabeth is obviously infatuated by you, it shows every time she looks at you, she has sparkle in her eyes…And you, you're practically undressing her every time she is near you! Get it done, already…_Charlie_!" **

"**She doesn't have sparkle in her eyes when she looks at me, and I don't undress her with my eyes! You are way out of line, Miss Katherine!**" Charles angrily replied to her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"_**Charlie**_**, you are protesting way too much." **Katherine replied sarcastically to him, while elbowing him, taking another gulp of her glass, and adding. **"Every time you are smiling at her, it is obvious to a blind that you want to jump her bones!" **

"**I don't want such a thing!"** Charles replied to her in anger, outraged by her saying to him. "**And could you just lower your voice, Miss Katherine?" **

Katherine crossed her arms in front of her chest, grinning at him.

"**Really, right…Why are you sweating like a pig every time I pronounce her name, then?"** She replied to him, while raising her eyes to the ceiling. **"If only you would make your move already! I don't know…Kiss her or something! You're not getting younger while time is passing by."**

"**Miss Katherine, what is between me and Elizabeth…Is between me and her, and none of your business! And stop calling me **_**Charlie**_**!" **Charles angrily mumbled in his teeth to her.

"**Ah-Ahhh….I knew it! There's a "**_**you and her**_**" then?" **She replied, while winking at him. **"Spill…I want every detail **_**Charlie! **_**You devil one…did you kiss her already?"**

"**Oh for God sake…"** Charles mumbled in his teeth, while closing his eyes, breathing deeply, and counting to ten, before passing a rapid hand on his face to calm him down.

"**Miss Katherine, we are so happy that you decided to be here with us to celebrate Christmas!" **Elizabeth addressed herself to her, while approaching their standing position, and adding.** "Would you like to put the Angel on the Christmas tree?"** Elizabeth asked her, while handing the porcelain angel figurine to her.

"**Oh yes, Miss Katherine!"** She heard the maids say enthusiastically to her.

"**Please, my dear Elizabeth…Take her away from me, before I commit murder!"** Charles responded to her sarcastically, with a hand gesture of dismissal.

"**Hey!"** Katherine exclaimed to him, while turning to say to Elizabeth. **"I don't think it is my place to do that…" **

"**None sense! Or course it is your place to do it!" **Elizabeth started saying, while gently pushing Katherine toward the tree, and putting the angel in her hands. **"Mister Charles is very found of you, you know?"** Elizabeth murmured in her right ear, making Katherine smiled.

She approached the Christmas tree, and put the Angel on one of his branch, making everybody giggle around her.

"**What?"** She said to all.

"**Mm…."** Charles mumbled in his teeth, while approaching her standing position, putting a hand in top of his mouth, to hold his hilarity, and adding in a murmur in her left ear. **"…Miss Katherine, I think the angel needs to be on top!"**

"**Oh…Right! I knew that." **She responded to him, while taking back the angel in her hands and climbing the ladder, before putting the angel on top of the Christmas tree, see the hundred of lights appear like magic, before hearing applause and wheezing, being help by Charles to get down of her perched standing position.

"**It is a beautiful tree!"** Elizabeth added while clapping in her hands.

"**Ya…It is beautiful!"** Katherine replied to her, while putting both of her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.

"**My dear I would need your help for an errand, would you come with me in the kitchen…We'll go to give Master…."** Elizabeth started pronouncing, before lowering her head and blushing.

"**Oh for God sake, Elizabeth…Pronounce his damn name, it is not like I'm going to brake like a porcelain doll or die for hearing it, vampire and all, I'm pretty much dead and here to stay!"** Katherine said sarcastically, while following Elizabeth into the corridors toward the Kitchen, and crossing her arms in front of her chest. **"So, we'll go to give Master Elijah's what exactly?"**

"**We'll go to give Master Elijah's Christmas donation check, and baskets of foods for the little one at the orphanage."** Elizabeth said to her, while pushing

"**I don't now if I'm the right person to go there with you?"** Katherine responded to Elizabeth, while shrugging her shoulders and loosing her smile all of a sudden.

"**None sense! You have a big heart; it will do you good to see these poor children!" ** Elizabeth responded to her.

"**I don't have a big heart, Elizabeth…I'm a bitch! I've been one all my vampire life, I don't know how to be someone else…I'm not good with children…Maybe you could go with Charles or another maid?"** Katherine suggested to her.

Elizabeth turned, before putting her hand on Katherine left forearm.

"**Then why is this awful vampire bitch stayed with us in this Manor the past four months, when she could have left so many times?"** She asked her, while smiling and tilting her head to the right, before pushing the kitchen door.

Katherine lowered her head, while shrugging her shoulders and robbing her hands together.

"**I don't know exactly…I guess, all kind of reasons…And some don't make any sense to me, even now!"** Katherine explained to her. **"But…One of them is because I would hate myself, if I was leaving and something would put you all in danger, with Klaus, and because of me…" **

Elizabeth smiled, and raised her hands to caress Katherine's left cheek, before saying:

"**See, Miss Katherine…You're not so bad, after all…I'm sure that if life would had given you the chance you would have made a wonderful mother! Now, give me a bit of time, to take the baskets for us to bring to the orphanage, and if we hurry up…we'll be back before the Christmas lunch."**

Katherine nodded her head to Elizabeth, before smiling timidly, and directing her walking steps in front of the kitchen window, her stare directed into the dead winter garden, in front of her, before drifting into a very-very far past.

* * *

><p><em>Bulgaria, 1490<em>

"_A little more, dearest, a little more…" Katherine's mother encouraged her to do, adding. "Push a little more…again…A little more"_

_Katherine pushed the infant outside her womb, with all the strength that she had left in her. It did not take much longer for the chamber to be filled with the cries of a newborn. _

"_It's a girl!" Her mother said, while smiling at her, and raising the baby, wrapped in her blanket, in her arms. _

"_A girl…" Katherine repeated to her mother, while seeing her nodding her head. "Please mother, let me see her?" She added, while handing her shaky hands to her mother._

"_Woman don't! What are you doing?" Katherine's father angrily warned her mother, under the door frame of the chamber. ._

"_Let me at least hold her once, just once…." Katherine begged her father to do._

"_Forget it…You have disgraced this family!" He angrily responded to her, while taking the baby girl from her mother's hand and living the chamber. _

"_Father, please, no, Father, no…" She screamed from the top of her lungs, while letting her tears runs fluently on her cheeks. _

"_No, Katerina…It's better for her! Katerina, it's better for her!" Her mother told her, while holding her in her arms. _

"_No, mother…Please…" Katerina screamed at her, in a teary voice, while putting her head on her mother's right shoulder._

"_Let her go…Let her go, Katerina!" Her mother replied to Katherine_

"_Please mama…" Katerina murmured in a last whisper._

_(TVD scene – Season 2: This short part of this chapter is not intended to be my own creation.)_

* * *

><p>The Saint Joseph Orphanage finally opened its big wooded doors on an elderly nun, who smiled at Katherine and Elizabeth, before requiring with a hand gesture, for them to come inside. Katherine suddenly remembered her from the banquet this summer.<p>

"**Sister Marie Rose, always a pleasure to see you…"** Elizabeth said to the elderly woman, before taking her right hand in hers.

"**My dear Elizabeth, what is bringing you to the orphanage? Come inside it is so cold outside today!"** The sister asked them, while smiling, and closing the door behind them.

"**This is Miss Katherine Pierce…"** Elizabeth said, while showing Katherine with a right hand gesture.

"**Hello…"** Katherine said to the sister, while nodding her head, and smiling timidly, feeling a bit out of place, in this orphanage.

"**Hello my child. Please follow me!"** Sister Marie Rose said to Katherine, before showing them into a corridor, adding. **"Welcome to both of you, and Merry Christmas…Oh! But I see that you've bring baskets of food for the children!"** The nun exclaimed in pure joy.

"**Merry Christmas to you too, Sister, and yes, we certainly did not come empty handed, these baskets are fill with food, chocolate, cakes….we've come also to give you this contribution from Mister Elijah!"** Elizabeth said to the sister, before handing her an envelope.

"**He's always been so generous. You know that he came several times to see the children in the past year?"** Sister Marie Rose said to Elizabeth, while pushing another door of the orphanage, making Katherine raised her head in surprise. **"I think he loves children!" **

"**Mister Elijah certainly has a big heart, and he is a man of honour and integrity…It is always a joy for him to contribute to the welfare of this orphanage." **Elizabeth answered her, while watching the reaction of Katherine in the corner of her eyes.

"**I heard that he's been away from England since a couple of months, is it right?"** Sister Marie Rose replied to Elizabeth.

"**Yes indeed, Mister Elijah is presently away for business."** Elizabeth simply answered to the elderly nun.

"**Well, graciously thanked him for his generous contribution at his return, would you my dear child?" **The sister asked of Elizabeth.

"**Certainly, Sister Marie Rose…" **Elizabeth answered her.

"**Now, would you like to follow me into the chapel, the children prepared a recital for Christmas, you have to hear it." **She informed them, before opening a rounded white wooded door, letting Katherine and Elizabeth enter inside before her own self.

They entered in the small chapel. Several sisters were sitting on white benches, in front of a small group of older children, with what seems to be the oldest boy, in front of them. A small Christmas tree was also decorated with handmade ornaments, and children drawings were scattered on the entrance wall.

Sister Marie Rose showed with a hand gesture to Katherine and Elizabeth, to take a sitting position on a bench, while taking one, in front of the assembly. The oldest young boy in the front started to sing:

_Ave maria, Gratia Plena_

_Maria, gratia plena_

_Maria, gratia plena_

_Ave, ave dominus_

_Dominus tecum_

Katherine felt a lump form in her throat; waves of shivers hitting her with intensity that she had never experienced before, leaving her froze on her sitting place, while staring at the children, and listening to the angel voice of the young boy. She blenched when she felt Elizabeth take her left hand in hers. She turned to look at her, and Elizabeth smiled back, while squeezing her hand more strongly.

_Benedicta tu in mulieribus_

_Et benedictus_

_Et benedictus fructus ventris_

_Ventris tuae, Jesus_

_Ave Maria_

She could not say at what moment the tears started to fluently ran on her cheeks, or at what moment she had to put her hand in front of her mouth, forbidden herself to moan out loud her sudden deep sadness, while squeezing very hard Elizabeth's hand, before hearing the entire chorale starting the chorus:

_Ave maria_

_Mater dei_

_Ora pro nobis peccatoribus_

_Ora pro nobis_

_Ora, ora pro nobis peccatoribus_

_Nunc et in hora mortis..._

All of her hidden and buried feelings came back to her like an ocean of deep turmoil that she had kept buried inside of her for so many centuries, the lost of her child, her meeting with Klaus and the Originals, her own death, her vampire life the last five hundreds years, her meeting with the Salvatore brothers, the constant running to save her vampire life, the last months in the Manor, her deep attachment to the place and its people, and most of all, her none spoken feelings for Elijah.

"**I can't…."** She mumbled in a whisper to Elizabeth, between her spasms of cry, adding. **"…I can't stay…I have to leave!"**

"**Are you ok, Miss Katherine?"** Elizabeth asked her, suddenly worried, adding. **"You need me to come with you?"**

"**No, stay…I'm fine, I just need air…"** Katherine whispered to her, while raising herself in a standing position and rushing outside the chapel, before running into the corridors of the orphanage, with tears rolling on her face.

* * *

><p>Katherine walked through the orphanage corridors for a long time, before noticing that she had reached the part of its nursery. Several sisters were giving bottles to new born and infants. She firstly thought that it was not the images that she needed with her present state of mind…But, bizarrely, it calmed her down, and made her smile, and she enjoyed watching the quietness of their private moments.<p>

She nodded her head to several nurses who smiled back at her, while taking care of her silent tasks at hands. When she finally reached, down a small corridor, a small recluse room, she took a quick glimpse inside, before hiding herself to witness something that did not seemed right to her.

"**Stop crying! You're bad….I know that you're bad, and monstrous!"** A sister screamed out loud to what seems to be a young infant, aged between one and two year old. The poor infant was crying his eyes out…While suffering from the bad treatment inflected by the said nun. **"I said stop it!"** She screamed again to the infant.

"**Sister Antoinette…"** A younger novice said to the older one, adding. **"…Leave the infant, he'll stop crying eventually, let just leave this room, I am scare and I don't want to be near him. Not after what happened the last time!"**

"**He doesn't want to eat….He is the Devil reborn, I'm telling you! But, you're right, let him starve to death! What do I care anyway?" **She replied to the novice, while directing their walk toward the entrance of the room.

Katherine pushed herself toward a dark corner of the corridor, while hiding her presence to them. They stepped out of the room, before closing the door behind them.

Katherine waited a small moment for them to be out of sight, before approaching the said door, and turning the door handle, entering inside, and closing the door behind her. The infant was still crying. She got ride of her gloves and winter coat, before dropping them on a near rocking chair, and slowly reaching the modest crib. She could not exactly explain her motivation, but she knew in herself that what she had just witnessed was not charitable or Christian like! The name of the infant was inscribed on a small piece of wood: _**Theodore**_. It was a baby boy…and at first sight, thought Katherine, she could not really understand what was so terrifying about this infant, except the fact that he was crying very loudly at this moment.

"**Hello…."** She said to the child, while lowering her upper body to take a glimpse at him, a bit out of touch with what she was supposed to do to make him relax. **"...I mean, why are you crying?"** She asked the infant, before passing her right hand on top of his head, on his curly black baby hair.

The infant seemed to calm down; he reached for her hand, and grabbed, with all the strength that he got in him, two of her fingers.

"**Wow! You're very strong, and a fighter, aren't you? How can you be the Devil? You're way too little for that, I should know I'd been called the devil very often myself."** She said to the infant, in a sarcastic tone of voice, before lowering her upper body near the infant position, to pick him up in her arms. **"Here you go….Shhh….."** She whispered to him, while caressing his hair, and balancing herself in a rhythmic tempo, on one foot to the other, to calm him down. **"They are bad sisters…next time you should throw up your milk on them!"** She added, with a smile, while caressing his curly hair and making Theodore mumbled pleasurable sounds.

Katherine smiled, and lowered her sight to look at his face. She almost jumped out of her skin when she realized that this poor infant had a profound scar on his left cheek, and then, he suddenly raised his sight to look at her, and the shock was even bigger! One of his eyes was light purple, and the other one was black with taint of red in it. At first sight the infant was not a beautiful one, but if you could look closer, the beauty was in the eyes of the owner.

She took a few walking steps to reach the rocking chair, before taking place on it.

"**Ok…You won't win the first prize of beauty of the Orphanage, I give you that, but, you're strong and powerful, and extremely tenacious…You have basically all you need to succeed in life. You have the same quality that I have, except that I am beautiful, of course…And you scar will only make women fall harder for you when you'll be older!"** She explained to the infant, while rocking him to sleep, before hearing him starting to cry again, adding. **"Ok…You're hungry, aren't you? Let me just pick up the bottle that I see on the dresser….and…."** She did not have the time to finish her sentence that she witnessed that the said bottle was not on the dresser anymore, she looked around, only to find it beside her, on a small wooded table leaving her speechless with the infant in her arms.

* * *

><p>"<strong>And where are you going now, Miss Katherine? Lunch will be served soon."<strong> Charles said to Katherine, who just got back with Elizabeth from the orphanage.

"**Going to take a short walk with Max, **_**Charlie**_**…" **She explained to Charles.** "Come boy!"** She screamed at the dog, who was literally flirting his way with two of the maids.

"**Ohh…Max is so adorable!"** The two maids were screaming to Katherine.

"**Yes! And he knows it!"** She replied to them, while caressing Max's head, and putting a leash on the dog's neck.

"**Don't be late…We need you to be present at this lunch!"** Charles said to her, while smiling and nodding his head, before taking walking steps away from her standing position in front of the entrance door.

"**I won't …And Charles?"** She called him.

"**Yes, Miss Katherine…"** He asked her, while turning on himself.

She took a few walking steps to reach him, while pulling Max behind her.

"**What…What do you know about supernatural stuff?"** She murmured to him.

Charles looked at her, rolled his eyes to the ceiling, before putting both of his hands on each side of his waist.

"**Is it your warlock-Christmas joke of the day, Miss Katherine?"** He asked her, while tilting his head to the right.

"**No, no…I'm serious! I mean not the vampires, werewolves stuff…but other stuff!"** She asked him.

Charles raised one of his eyebrows, before crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**What other stuff Miss Katherine?"** He asked her, suddenly curious.

"**Is….Is it possible to see stuff move?"** She asked him.

"**What stuff?"** Charles asked her once again.

"**Let say a plate, or a glass…."** She explained further more.

"**Psychokinesis is the name science gave to the faculty to move immobile object, also named as Telekinesis. It is a combination of heart, soul and mind creating motion and movements."** Charles started to explain to her.

"**And it is not generally happening, isn't it…I mean, It is not usual, right? Is it supernatural?" **She asked him.

"**For some it is consider that…Well, depending if you encounter, or are in close contact with someone who's able to move things around…it can be consider normal or not! Why are you asking me this, Miss Katherine?" **Charles asked her.

Katherine shook her head from right to left, before pulling Max's leach.

"**No reason…I'll be back after Max walk."** She answered Charles, before opening the Manor's front door, and stepping outside.

"**Mister Charles, are you coming?"** Elizabeth asked him, while standing behind him.

"**Yes…" **He replied to her, while turning on himself and reaching her standing position. **"Tell me, my dear Elizabeth; did something happen to Miss Katherine in the Orphanage?"** He asked Elizabeth.

"**Not that I know of….Except, she ran outside of the chapel in the middle of the children recital, I think she was very emotional and touch by it." **Elizabeth answered Charles, while walking beside him, in direction of the master kitchen. **"Why? You seem worried, Mister Charles?" **

"**No…Nothing to worry about…Just a strange feeling about something…." **He answered her, while pushing the kitchen door to let her pass before him.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Go find it!" <strong>Katherine screamed to Max, while throwing a small tree branch for the dog to go run after, which Max did with joyful barking. She decided to walk along the century trees driveway, enjoying the coldness of the wind on her cheeks. She suddenly raised her sight to the sky, it was very cloudy, but still no sign of snow. She closed tightly the collar of her winter coat, before raising her sight near the tree that she had spotted Max playing two seconds ago. **"Max? Where are you boy?"** She screamed at the dog. **"Ok, doggy we don't have all day…Well, technically as a vampire I have eternity…But, the Christmas lunch will be served soon, we have to go back to the Manor, where are you?" **She repeated loudly.

"**Max is with me, Katerina."** She heard a masculine voice replied to her, making her froze on spot, close her eyes, and feel a wave of shivers hitting strongly every inch of her being. She slowly turned on herself, before raising her sight on him, feeling her hands shaking while holding Max's leash.

Elijah dropped his leather luggage on the Manor driveway, before kneeling in front of Max.

"**Hey buddy, you've grown…Look at you!"** He addressed himself to the dog, while caressing his head and ears. **"Yes! You're a good boy!"**

To which Max barked and licked Elijah's face. _Traitor_! Thought Katherine, this _idiot_ had the audacity of leaving the Manor for more than four months, and now he was back like the _God of the Castle_ that he is, and only since two seconds, and Max was already all over him. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, as a protection mechanism, while showing a mad expression on her face. Elijah raised himself back on his two legs, before locking his eyes intensively with Katherine's. He looked tired, if this could even be possible for an Original, his clothes were crumpled, and he had a beard of several days on his face.

"**You look well, Katerina…"** He added to her, making her close her fists in anger, before turning on herself, snapping her fingers to call Max at her side, before walking back toward the entrance of the Manor, without giving him the time of the day, leaving Elijah alone, and standing beside his luggage, in the middle of the alley.

* * *

><p>All the staffs were taking their sitting place around the beautifully decorated table of the master dinning room, with laughter and loud conversation. Elizabeth and Charles entered the dinning room, before walking toward their own sitting position.<p>

"**Where's Miss Katherine?"** Gardie asked of them, making Elizabeth turned to look at Charles.

"**She'll be here in a couple of minutes…"** Charles responded to him, while nodding his head, and rubbing his hands together. **"Now, where is this wonderful turkey that the chief cooked for us?" **

"**Mister Charles, maybe you should sit at the end of the table?" **Elizabeth suggested to him.

"**No…"** Charles responded to her, while turning his head to look at her, adding. **"It's Master Elijah place…" **

"**You'll still think that he will come back today, aren't you?" **She asked of him.

"**I'm hopeful, that he will finally make a man out of himself, my dear."** Charles answered to her, before pulling her chair to help her sit down.

"**So, who wants some wine?"** Charles screamed at the assembly, before hearing applause and screams, being stopped in their enjoyment by a sharp and strong noise of a door being slammed.

_Bang – Bang_

And then another loud sound of another door being slammed,

_Bang – Bang_

And finally a third one,

_Bang - Bang_

Making all the staff turned their head in perfect synchronization toward the noise and the open door of the master dinning room.

"**What is happening?"** Elizabeth asked Charles, while putting her right hand on his left forearm.

"**That my dear…."** Charles said out loud, with the biggest smile on his face, before adding. **"…It is Miss Katherine telling us that Master Elijah is back at the Manor to celebrate with us!"**

* * *

><p>Charles knocked a few times on the door frame of Elijah's office, before entering inside, while watching Elijah, his back turned, standing in front of his office window, his empty stare directed into the grey sky, with a glass of Whisky in his hand. His winter coat had been thrown on an arm chair, with his luggage on the floor, at its feet.<p>

Elijah suddenly turned on himself to face his warlock friend, showing a timid smile on his face.

"**Permission to salute a friend after so many months apart…"** Charles said to Elijah.

"**Permission granted, Charles."** Elijah replied to him, while dropping his glass on his desktop, and walking toward his friends, before giving him a hug.

"**How are you, son?"** Charles responded to him, while returning Elijah's hug, before gently pushing himself away and looking at Elijah's ravaged face.

"**Merry Christmas…"** Elijah replied to his butler, tapping amicably with his hands on his shoulders.

"**Merry Christmas to you too…"** Charles replied to him, before seeing Elijah turn on himself, and directing his walk in front of the window once again.

"**Did it do you good? This time away from her…"** Charles asked him, going directly to the point, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**I don't know what you are talking about, Charles…"** Elijah replied to him, while drinking bottom up the rest of his glass, adding. **"I left for business…I gave her the choice to stay or leave…She chose to stay, apparently, as she wishes!"** He said with a false detached voice, while shrugging his shoulders.

"**Yes! She stayed…But, aren't you wondering why?"** Charles asked him.

"**Apparently, she's attached to you, Elizabeth and the Manor…and now there is Max…So, that is why she stayed!" **He replied to Charles.

"**Mmm…Interesting perception of her feelings…So, if I follow your logic, a hundreds of age, vampire woman, stayed in an English Manor, in the middle of nowhere, because of an adorable Labrador…If this is what you want to make yourself believe, who am I to try to change your mind?" **Charles responded to him, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**Her reason is hers, not mine…"** Elijah responded to his butler friend, with a dismissive hand gesture.

"**As your own reasons for coming back, and verifying if she was still here, I guess?" **Charles responded "tit for tat" to him, making Elijah adding.** "Did you find your brother or Elise?" **

"**No!" **Elijah simply responded to Charles.** "He must have known that I was on his trail, and he was always ahead of me from one state to the other!"**

"**Any other leads…" **Charles asked him.

"**I had an encounter with Eric, a vampire thug. He was present the night of the banquet…" **Elijah replied to him, while sitting on his desk top, making Charles blench on Eric's mention.

"**Did you …Did you kill him?"** Charles asked him, while swallowing a lump in his throat.

"**No…" **Elijah replied to him, while shaking his head in negation, before adding.** "…But, I would bet everything that I have that he was in it with Elise, or that he knows something about Eleonore's death…But without the last prove that I need, I'm too much a man of integrity and honour to snap his head away from the rest of his body, for no reason!" **

"**Ok, well…"** Charles simply responded to him, adding. **"…Staff is waiting for you to celebrate, and cut the Turkey in the Master dinning room." **

Elijah shook his head in negation, saying:

"**I don't think it's my place to be there this year…I guess she'll need to be there more than me!" **He answeredCharles, while raising his sight on him.

"**Yes! And so will you, **_**Master Elijah**_**….And what are you going to do, avoid her cowardly for the rest of you life? Even if I have to bring your bottom there myself and pull you by the hair, mark my words that you will be present at this lunch!"** Charles angrily replied to him, while turning on himself, and stepping out of the office, making Elijah smile at his butler's outburst.

* * *

><p>You could have heard a mosquito flying in the silence of the master dinning room, if it was not for the background music of Christmas in everybody's ears coming from the mural speakers. Pieces of broken crystal and porcelain were scattered everywhere in the room, near each wall. Everyone was standing straight on his or her chair, watching from the corner of their eyes, the person sitting beside them, while exchanging shrugs or amazed look, and eating silently their desserts. Everything had started in a joyful note. No one could understand even after all of the commotion, how in hell… they all had to took shelter under the dinning room table?<p>

* * *

><p>After the joyful greetings of all the Staff at the arrival of Master Elijah in the master dinning room, and some polite questions of his whereabouts these last few months, and his impeccable way of answering without even blenching for one second, added with his well rehearse excuses, for showing unshaven and in wrinkled clothes, he finally wished a Merry Christmas and a nice meal to all.<p>

Katherine was closing her fists under the table, in a slim hope of calming the growing rage inside of her. She could not even be at the same table that he was without feeling a fire of anger coming at her – And could not grasp the "Why" she has accepted to be here? She could sincerely feel the blood bag drank a moment earlier, boiling inside of her! She was not even thinking about looking in his direction – She would throw her glass of wine in his face, if this was the case! Of course, it is Charles who had literally brought her in the master dinning room, while pulling her by the ears. If it was not for Elizabeth, Charles and the rest of the staff team, and her promise of being present at this lunch, she would have left the minute that she had encounter him, while walking with Max on the outside alley of the Manor. She hated that man with all that she got in her!

She suddenly smirked! What was this pity on her? _Katherina Petrova_ would maybe be put to silence, like a good little girl….but _Katherine Pierce_ would never bend so easily! She would make Elijah pay – Mark her words for it!

Delectable fish chowder was firstly served; she had kept her staring in front of her, not even taking a quick look toward his sitting position at the far end of the table.

Elijah had noticed her present indifference toward him, and was more bother by it that he firstly thought! He finally took a quick glimpse in her direction, before lowering his sight as quickly as he had look at her…Damn Charles! He was noticing every of his stare toward her direction like he was the "_watch police_", with a stupid sarcastic smile on his face, while waving his fingers at Elijah each time!

The entire staff started to eat their soups in silence, while suddenly raising their sights in surprise and turning their heads in direction of an awful noise of lapping that was coming from Miss Katherine, and was just unbearable to human ears. The _game_ was certainly on in her mind, she thought while holding her amusement to herself!

"**What?" **Katherine asked all present at the table, adding.** "Mmm….This soup is **_**freaking**_** good! Peter…."** She screamed at the chief, who was sitting at the other end of the table, and was nodding his head as a thank you to her. **"…My compliment to the chef!" **She added to him, while raising her glass of red wine in the air, and drinking it bottom up. **"Master Elijah…Yes, you! Sitting at the end of the table? Don't you think that this fish chowder is freaking awesome?"**

All the staff looked at her theatrical outburst with open wide mouths and eyes, Elijah raised the angriest stare in her direction; obviously she wanted to fight with him! But, he would not give her the satisfaction to play her childish game in front of his staff! _"Bring it on, Katerina, you won't win this one!"_ He thought to himself, while locking his fiery eyes with hers, in a battle of power, at the moment she was raising her chin up, and keeping her eyes locked with his, in a confrontational sign.

"**Ok, Miss Katherine, I should have seen this coming…I know how angry you are at him, But this, will not give you any satisfaction!"** Charles whispered in her right ear, adding. **"I think you had enough…"** He added to her, while taking from her right hand the empty glass of wine.

"**Enough? But** _**Charlie**__-__**Poo-Poo**__,_ **I am just starting to enjoy this celebration, and the return of the **_**Prince**_** in his Castle" **She responded in a louder voice for Elijah to hear it, seeing him biting his cheeks and closing his fists in anger, before taking her glass back from Charles's hand, and filling it with the bottle of wine in front of her.

"_**Charlie-Poo-Poo**_**?"** Elijah repeated to Charles, while raising one of his eyebrows, and holding his growing laughter, behind his napkin.

"**Don't even go there, Master Elijah?"** Charles mumbled in his teeth, while shaking his head form right to left.

"**I think you had enough to drink, Katerina…" **Elijah added to her, while nodding his head for her to drop the bottle.

Elizabeth lowered her upper body near Elijah, murmuring in his ear.

"**She's just mad at you…You've been gone for too long, Master Elijah!"**

Elijah raised his sight at Elizabeth with surprise, while smiling back at her, and saying in a detached voice.

"**Miss Katherine needs attention on herself twenty four hours a day! If she doesn't get it from someone…She will scream like a little girl that did not receive her pony for her birthday! She won't order me around like she did with all the man that she encountered in her life, and believe me, there was a lot!"** He responded to Elizabeth, while warning Katherine to stop her childish behaviour with his angry stare directed at her.

It is with a sight of relieve when the empty bowls of soup were taking away, creating a nice diversion around the table.

Copious main dishes were served with juicy and tasty slice of turkey; Katherine started hitting the tip of her fork on her plate, while grinding its tip in an awful noise after making all the staff raised their sight on her for the second time.

"**Miss Katherine! Stop that noise!"** Charles whispered to her, while putting his left hand on her right forearm to hold her gesture, adding. **"You're acting like a child!"**

"**I can't stop it, Charles…Just looking at him, my teeth gnash!"** She mumbled angrily to Charles in a whisper, adding out loud. **"I propose another toast!" **Katherine continued screaming to everyone, while raising her glass in the air, making Charles rolled his eyes to the ceiling, shrugging his shoulders at Elizabeth, before putting his left hand over his eyes: all of this would not end well! That was a sure thing! **"To the Master of this beautiful castle: Wishing for him that he leaves again, very soon…and for what ever reason and destination…with all his staff playing happy mouse while the cat is away!" **

"**Katherine…I'm warning you!" **She finally heard Elijah warning her for the second time, with an angrier tone of voice, while holding his own glass of wine, tapping his fingers on the Crystal.

"**Yes? Are you talking to me, Oh Master….Or do you mean **_**Katerina**_**? Because sometimes, you are confusing the two...But I guess that today it must be because of the jet lag effect...Where did you go exactly the past four months?" **She lashed out sarcastically at him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Elijah rose on his feet, while throwing angrily his napkin on the table, before addressing himself to her:

"**Follow me in my office, please…"** He asked her calmly to do.

"**Nope…."** She responded to him, while tranquilly putting her glass of wine at her lips.

"**I'm sorry…."** Elijah asked her, while bending his upper body, and putting both of his hands on the table. **"What was that?"**

"**I said no!" **She repeated to him, while biting into a carrot, and looking at her nails.

"**Now…."** He raised his voice as an order to her.

"**Make me!"** She responded to him, while turning her head and staring angrily at him, while hearing the exclamation of surprise around the table, adding **"But you won't do it, because God forbid you wouldn't want to loose your **_**SAINT**_** image of perfection in this manor!"**

"**Oh God, help us all…."** Charles mumbled in his teeth, while closing one eye, and waiting for the fall out.

"**You're such a bitch when you want to be…"** Elijah mumbled angrily in his teeth, mostly to himself.

"**I'm such a what?"** Katherine responded to him, while throwing her own napkin on the table, and rising on her two feet, both of her hands on each side of her waist. **"I'm a bitch? And what are you…A freaking coward!"** She responded to him, before reaching for a crystal bowl on the table.

"**Put the bowl back on the table!"** Elijah lashed out at her, before stooping his upper body to avoid receiving the bowl in his face, hearing it crash in thousand of pieces on the wall behind him a second after.

"**You want to tell me what I am again?"** She asked him, while taking the bottle of wine and throwing it at him, before hearing it crash in pieces.

"**Down…"** Charles screamed to the staff, adding. **"…Under the table, now!"**

All the staff present lowered their heads to avoid being hit by the flying objects, before sliding themselves under the long tablecloths, under the table.

"**Mister Charles! This is ridiculous!"** Elizabeth said to him, while showing herself under the table, and sliding on her knees to reach him and the others, adding. **"We are looking like fools,** **underneath here!** **We just have to ask them to calm themselves down, for God sake!" **

"**Ask them to calm down? In which fantasy world are you living in, my dear Elizabeth? Did you ever ask an elephant to slow down when it is attacking you?" **Charles responded to Elizabeth.

"**I'll ask them to stop!"** She said to Charles, while sliding out of the table.

"**Get down in here!"** Charles screamed to her, while trying to retain her, but without being able to do it.

Elizabeth raised her head from under the table, to look at them, while rising on her feet again.

"**Master Elijah, Miss Katherine…You have to stop and being reasonable…"** She started saying to them, while rubbing her hands together.

"**Katerina…"** Elijah angrily mumbled in his teeth, adding. **"Put the vase down, right now!"**

"**Or what..."** Katherine screamed at him, adding. **"…You'll run by the door, like a mama's boy! Go to hell, MASTER!" **She added to him, while throwing the vase at him, at a near inch of Elizabeth standing position, making her slide back under the table in a matter of seconds.

"**What are you doing, Elizabeth? I told you to stay down, under the table! You have a dead wish or something?"** Charles asked him in a louder voice.

"**She threw a vase at me, and he didn't even notice that I was there!"** Elizabeth replied amazed and with wide open eyes to Charles.

"**Of course she did and he didn't…"** Charles replied to her, adding. **"…There is way too much palpable tension at the moment between these two, for them to even notice that we are here!" **

"**Mister Charles…" **Gardie asked him, while hearing the shrill noise of another vase being broken on the wall, sliding himself near them under the table.** "…The maids, are wondering what is your plan and next move?" **

"**Well…" **Charles responded to the young maid, while thinking long and hard.

"**You don't have any plan, do you, Mister Charles?"** Elizabeth said to him, while trying to hide her growing laughter by putting her right hand over her mouth.

"**Not really, my dear…Except keeping everybody safe under the table!" **Charles responded to her, while winking at her.

"**I swear Katrina, if you don't stop your childish act right now…You're going to regret it, woman!" **Elijah screamed at her, while lowering himself down to avoid one of her launch projectiles, and catching another one with one of his hand.

"**What was that Master? Woooo…I'm so scare…Let me guess? You'll leave again!" **Katerina replied to him, while throwing at his face, every single crystal glass on the table.

"**I've warned you, Katherina!"** He said to her for the last time.

"**Ok…"** Charles started saying to Elizabeth and Gardie, while taking a white napkin in his hand and slowly sliding himself away from under the table.

"**Mister Charles!"** Elizabeth exclaimed to him, adding. **"You really think that waving a white napkin at them, as a peace offering, and a SOS sign will do us good?" **

"**You have a better idea, Elizabeth?" **He asked her, while passing the tablecloth over his head. **"…Because I am really fresh out of them!" ** He added to her, before rising on his two legs, looking around him, and smiling heavenly. A dead silence was now filling the dinning room. **"You can come out from underneath now!"** He added to the staff.

"**Where did they go?"** A maid asked him, while rising on her two feet.

Charles smirked back at her, before addressing himself to the group.

"**Everything is back as normal now! Master Elijah and Miss Katherine are probably taking time to handle their differences…let's eat and enjoy ourselves!" **

"**Charles?"** Elizabeth murmured to him, while taking back her sitting position.

"**Don't worry my dear! They'll take care of each other now!"** He added in a whisper, while winking at her.

* * *

><p>Katherine could not even move a muscle! Elijah was bending his upper body in top of her sitting position, on the chair, in his office, while keeping his hands on its arms, with a firm hold on her wrists. She was squirming like a snake under him, while cursing him with the entire dictionary of bad names that she could find in her mind, to call him.<p>

Elijah had carried her like a bag of potatoes from the master dinning room to here, before dropping Katherine on the arm chair and holding her prisoner on it.

"**Are you almost done, woman?"** He asked her, while keeping her immobile under him, and staring at her with angry eyes.

"**Elijah, I'm warning you…Let go of me, now!"** She angrily replied to him.

"**Or what…."** He whispered to her, while lowering his head near hers, making her raise her chin in a confrontational gesture, before lowering her sight to stare at his mouth placed at a near proximity of hers. She turned her face slightly to the left, while blushing, to avoid looking at him, and he closed his eyes, and gently rubbed his bearded cheek on hers, creating a wave of delectable shivers in all her body. It has been a long time without touching her, and he needed this like blood, and against his better judgement, to feel her skin on his.

"**Please…"** She whispered to him once again, before being free of his physical grip a few seconds after.

He straightened his body; turned his back on her, before passing a rapid hand on his hair.

"**What in hell pushed you to act that way in the dinning room, Katerina?"** He asked her, while turning to face her and putting his hands on each side of waist, before shaking his head from right to left.

Katherine rise on her feet, while rubbing her soar wrists and shrugging her shoulders to him.

"**That is all that you have to say for yourself?"** He added to her.

"**Yes that is all…Why? What do you have to say for yourself?"** She replied to him, "tit for tat", while shrugging her shoulders one more time.

"**What do you mean?"** He asked her, while benching a little at her question.

"**Why did you left?"** She questioned him, while keeping her stare in his.

Elijah turned his sight away from her staring, before directing his walking steps toward the small bar, pouring himself a glass of Whisky.

"**I was away on business, Katerina…Nothing that should concern you. Plus, you had the permission to leave the manor if you wanted…"** He coldly responded to her, hiding his feelings with a detached tone of voice, adding**. "…I don't think it was in our agreement that I needed to explain my personal life to you? Was it?"**

"**I give a fuck about our agreement…."** She replied angrier at him. **"You saved my life, and then two seconds after you took off, like I was some kind of burden to you!" **

"**Since when… You always cared about agreements!"** He asked her, while taking a sip of his glass, and sitting himself on the his desktop, adding **"You're the Queen of making agreements, and plots, with or against every man that you have encountered in all your vampire life, Katerina…The difference with me, is that I don't let you have the hands up on everything!" **

Tears of anger reached Katherine's eyes, which she swept away while passing her right hand on top of her eyelids.

"**You're such a hypocrite, Elijah…"** She lashed out at him, adding. **"…You wanted to have me in your bed since centuries…Man up to that at least! And stop putting the blame on my shoulders, at least I am not showing myself for somebody that I am not, it's way more than what you can say for yourself!" **

"**What is it, Katerina? You did not find the time to jump into bed with Gardie, or other men that would have passed your way and helped you pass the time the last few months, that is why you're mad at me?"** Elijah lashed back at her.

Katherine could not have retained herself; she reached his standing position, and she slapped him two times across his cheeks, before standing in front of him with her arms and closed fists placed on each side of her body.

Elijah startled on surprise, before raising his right hand to touch his jaw, and raising his angry sight at Katherine.

"**You asked for it!"** She said to him, with tears running on her cheeks, while keeping her chin up and her eyes locked with his.

"**Maybe…"** He replied to her, while drinking bottom up his glass, adding. **"…Katerina, it's Christmas…Let's just…."** He started to explain to her, before being cut in his sentence by her.

"**Oh, don't worry…I won't bother you anymore…I'll leave tomorrow morning!"** She said to him, while turning her back at him, reaching the office door, before opening it, and slamming it at his face.

"**Damn it!"** He screamed to himself, before throwing his glass on the wall.

* * *

><p>Charles closed the front door of the manor behind him, while wrapping tightly his scarf around his neck, and taking his first walking steps to reach the outside stairs of the manor. When he noticed Elizabeth in front of him, in top of the stairs, she was closing the last buttons of her winter coat.<p>

"**My dear Elizabeth…Ready to leave and celebrate Christmas with you family in the **_**quietness**_** of you own home?"** Charles sarcastically asked her, after the last events of this afternoon in the Manor, every other place in the world would seems quieter!

"**Oh…I did not see you there, Mister Charles….Yes! I am…And you? You're heading out to celebrate with your family also?"** She asked, while smiling at him, and pressing her winter hat on her head.

"**Something like that…"** He replied to her, a bit evasive.

"**You think they worked things out, we did not see them after?"** Elizabeth asked Charles, with a big smile on her face.

"**Oh don't worry…Neither of them left the Manor…It's a good sign!" **Charles responded to Elizabeth, with a smirk on his face.** "They are still alive, and together! As for working things out…Stubborn as they are! I couldn't say, my dear…"** Charles added to her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, continuing. **"One sure thing, it was time for him to come back…and they'll break a lot more crystal in the Manor before all of this is over!"** He mockingly added to her, while winking at her, making Elizabeth giggled, before offering his arms to help her step down the slippery stairs.

"**You surely right, Mister Charles….But, they have strong hidden feelings for each other…And as stubborn as they are, they'll find a way to admit it some day…**" She replied to him, while lowering her head seconds later and blushing, realizing the double sense of her sentence, while laying her left hand on his right forearm, and taking the first steps down, before retaining him on his track. **"Charles…"** She whispered to him.

"**Yes?"** He said to her, surprised to hear her call him by his first name only, before turning his head and looking at her.

"**It's snowing!"** She joyfully said to him, while raising her head to look at the snowflakes falling from the night sky. **"We've been asking for two things for the Holidays, the return of Master Elijah and snow!"**

"**Well…I believe you're right my dear, it is snowing!"** Charles responded, while smiling at her, and raising his head to the sky, at the same moment they were both noticing the mistletoe hanging above their heads, hooked on the porch roof.

Charles slowly lowered his head, and lock his eyes with hers, raising his right hand to slowly caress her left cold cheek, lowering his head near her right cheek, and chastely kissing it, while raising his head again to look at her in the eyes, and noticing sparkle in them, and her parted lips in a secret demand for him to kiss her for real this time.

Charles lowered his head one more time, before slowly sliding his lips in top of her trembling lips, in an almost none perceivable kiss, Elizabeth gently pushing him away from her, out of breathe, before raising her sight at him.

"**Elizabeth…"** Charles mumbled to her, while closing his eyes in total despair, adding. "…**I'm so deeply sorry, I don't know what took over me just now, but just know that it will never…."** He added to her, without being able to finish his sentence. Elizabeth raised herself on the tip of her winter boots, before sliding her trembling hands on Charles's chest, and putting his lips in top of his, taking Charles totally by surprise. He finally encircled Elizabeth's waist, before parting his lips half open and returning her kiss, The Christmas Eve cold winter air wrapping them of peacefulness and snowflakes falling on their heads.

She finally detached her lips from his, while pushing herself away from him, and lowering her head in shyness.

"**I'm sorry…"** She whispered to Charles, before rushing down the stairs, and running away from him, toward her parked car.

Charles closed his eyes, both of his hands on each side of his waist, while shaking his head from right to left.

"**Well…Thank you, Miss Katherine, just know that, yet again, I blame you for this one, like everything else that happened today!"** He lashed out, before descending the outdoor stairs.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Come…"<strong> Katherine said to Max, who began to trot at her side, into the empty corridors of the Manor.

All the staff had left to get back to their respective home for Christmas Eve. It was actually strange to walk, bare feet, in the emptiness of this big house, thought Katherine, but it was also very peaceful and relaxing. She had put a big long white sweater dress on her naked body that was showing the brightness of her skin and the roundness of her shoulders. She was holding an envelope in her hands with the name _**Charles Brownston**_ written on top. Her eyes were swollen for the hours of crying she had passed doing in her quarter. This would be the very last time that she would cry like this, and ever more for a man! Katherine Pierce never cries! She is a thought and indestructible vampire woman! And it was time for her to get back on the run and to her true self and leave this place behind for good, it felted way too "_homy"_ to make Katherine Pierce even thinking of staying in here one minute more, but not before leaving a word for her _Charlie_.

She entered the apparent empty and dark office-study room, noticing that wood logs were blazing in the fire place, she directed her walk toward the desk, and dropped the envelope on top of the desktop, before turning herself and putting her hands in top of the fire place, before hearing Max barked, making her jumped out of her skin and turned all of a sudden, all of her vampire senses in alert, only to witness a dark man shadow, sitting in the arm chair in the corner of the room, a glass of alcohol in his hands.

"**I didn't know you were still here? I would not have entered if I had known…"** She murmured to Elijah, a hand in top of her chest, noticing that several bottles of alcohol had been open on top of a side table, and obviously drank by him, adding. **"…I just put an envelope for Charles on the desktop, if you could give it to him, please…Thank you…Come Max!" **She called the dog, seeing Max ran into the corridor, before seeing the office door being slammed closed in front of her eyes, with Elijah's arms on each side of her body, his hands pushing the door, his body glued to her back, making her benched hard on surprise.

Katherine closed her eyes, and felt his lips nearly touching the skin of her shoulders.

"**Don't go, please…"** He whispered to her, while lowering his hands from the closed door, to very slowly and sensually sliding them on each side of her hips.

"**Elijah, let me go…."** Katherine mumbled in a shaky voice to him, while hoping to have in herself the strength to push him away from her, it had been so long without feeling his hands on her skin.

"**I'm so sorry…For earlier, I'm so sorry…"** He murmured to her, without acknowledging her demand, lowering both of his hands to reach the hem of her knitted sweater dress, and rising slowly the dress from her thighs to her hips. **"…I shouldn't have said what I said to you…"** He added in a whisper, while closing his eyes.

"**Don't do this…"** She mumbled to him, while putting her hands on his bare forearms to stop him. **"You're drunk, you did not sleep for many hours, and you don't know what you're doing or saying…And you will regret this after, Elijah…Stop, please!" **She added to him, while feeling his lips kissing the roundness of her right shoulder, and his hands grabbing the bare skin of her hips under the sweater dress, closing her eyes, and lowering her head on his chest. Would it be so bad of her, to be intimate with him for one last time?

"**It takes more than a few bottles for me to be drunk, Katerina…Are you always naked under your clothes now?"** He asked her, while rising one of his hands under the sweater dress to caress the bare skin of her belly. **"…We have to talk…"** He added to her in a murmur.

"**We are all talk through, Elijah…"** Katherine mumbled angrily in her teeth, adding. **"…We have nothing else to say to each other." **

"**We did not talk; we screamed and fought each other, like we always do…" **He whispered back to her, while encircling her waist with one arm, and bringing her in a closer proximity. **"I'm sorry, Katerina….The real reason I left is because I felt responsible for putting you in danger in the first place, you almost die for good this time, because of me…It was me who put you in danger!" **

"**Why would you say that?"** She replied with amazement to him, while turning her head to look at him in the eyes, in the dim light created by the fire place.

"**Because it is true, Katerina…"** He replied to her, while lowering his head, adding. **"…I will never forgive myself!"**

"**No it's not…"** She exclaimed to him, wile shaking her head in negation, adding. **"…You were responsible for a lot of headaches in my life in the past, Elijah…"** She started to explain to him, while turning to face him.

"**About the past, Katerina…"** He started, before being cut in his sentence by her.

"**Shhh…I don't want to talk about the past…But this…This was not your fault, Elijah…It was that bitch Elise, all the way…You hear me?"** She said to him, while taking his face in her hands. **"Do you hear me? You, you save me!"** She repeated to him.

He detached himself from her, turning his back, taking a few steps toward the window, before staring into the night sky.

"**Why are you always trying to be so chivalrous, and perfect, and in top of everything…"** She screamed at him, while tapping her bare feet in anger into the office floor.

Elijah turned on himself, before looking at her amazed, with the biggest smile on his face.

"**Chivalrous and perfect…"** He repeated to her, in laugher. **"…Did I really hear you calling me that?" **

"**Well…It is the first things that came into my mind…"** She responded to him, while smiling back at him, before passing a nervous hand through her hair.

He walked rapidly toward her, before grabbing her by the waist, and crashing his mouth on hers, while holding her head near his, with a hand in her hair. She kept her mouth closed, while trying to squirm to liberate herself from his embrace.

"**No!"** She said to him, on top of his lips, putting her hands on his chest, while trying to push him away, without being able to succeed. **"We can't Elijah…"** She added in a whisper.

"**Yes, we can…"** He responded to her, while sliding his lips in her neck.

"**Why…"** She mumbled to him, while closing her eyes, and feeling an intense wave of shivers hitting every inch of her body. **"…Give me one reason?"**

Elijah raised his sight on her, before holding her face in his hands.

"**Because…Since we lay our eyes on each other, after being apart for so long, this morning, and since we screamed, and since you throw my entire collection of crystal at my head…It is the only thing that we really wanted, and we were afraid to admit it…you know it, Katerina…And mostly, because there will be no agreement between us this time, it is simply because we want to be with each other!"** He murmured to her, while keeping his eyes locked in hers.

Katherine lowered her forehead on his chest, while closing her eyes, feeling his hands caressing her hair, before raising her sight back at him, and herself on her tiptoes and crashing her mouth on his, before rubbing their hands on each other, with the urgency of two lovers kept away for a long time.

Elijah raised her in his arms, before kneeling himself and sitting Katherine on the fur rug in front of the fire place. He placed himself behind her, slowly pushing the sweater dress completely off of her shoulders, down on her waist, while lowering his head and devouring each inch of her shoulders skin, in a mixed of licking and kissing, while sliding his hands on her waist, down to her belly. She lowered her back on his naked muscular chest, leaning her head on his left shoulder, before taking both of his hands and raising them on her breasts.

"**Caress me, Elijah…"** She whispered to him, while closing her eyes in anticipation of his expert caresses.

He cupped her breasts, before grabbing her roundness and striking her hard and sensitive nipples, with the tips of his thumbs, making her moaned sounds of pleasure.

"**Like that, love?"** He murmured in her right ear.

"**Yes…"** She whispered to him, while turning her head and raising her mouth to his, before kissing him passionately, she turned to face him, her arms around his neck, while lowering her hands a few seconds later on his chest, and starting to frantically open the buttons of his man shirt, sliding her hands underneath the fabric, before pushing the shirt down on his shoulders, and on the floor.

Katherine raised her sight on him, before sliding her lips and hands on his muscular chest, making him close his eyes in pure enjoyment. She then lowered her hand, on his belt, and in one easy movement, opened it, and slid it away from his pants, before sliding his zipper down, while lowering her mouth near the elastic band of his boxer.

"**Naughty tease…"** He murmured to her, in laugher, before raising her chin with his right hand, crashing his mouth back to hers, while slowly turning her body, and laying her down on the fur rug, sliding his mouth on her breasts, in intense erotic licking and kissing, before lowering his head on her belly, his hands on each side of her waist, while sliding the dress on her thighs and legs, and dropping it on the office floor, sliding his sight on her naked body, which was only illuminated by the dim light coming from the fire place.

"**God, you're so beautiful…"** He murmured to her, while getting rid of the rest of his clothes, before sliding his muscular body on top of hers, sliding a leg between hers, to open them.

"**Elijah…"** She murmured to him, while feeling his lips on her neckline. **"…I want you now…Come inside of me now…Please!" **

"**Already there, love…" **He whispered to her, before slowly sliding his length in her wet feminine center, making her close her eyes, while caressing and grabbing the skin of his back. He moved very slowly in her, for a moment, while grabbing her hips, with both of his hands, on each side, and making her body following his unbearable rhythm, sliding outside of her entirely, before slowly sliding back a second after.

"**Elijah…"** She begged of him in a whisper, her eyes closed, her mouth half open, while scratching the skin of his back with her finger nails.

"**I know…"** He murmured to her, while feeling himself hardening inside of her, adding. **"…I know how you like it, and at what exact moment your body start to shiver in anticipation of letting yourself come in my arms…" **He murmured to her, increasing his thrusting, while pushing his length further more inside of her satin walls, making her bend her back to lead him even deeper in herself, while crossing her legs around his waist, before screaming his name when the first wave of intense pleasure hit them both.

* * *

><p>They were facing each other, lying on the rug, on their sides, with an arm under their head, while smiling at each other.<p>

Elijah started to laugh out loud, while putting his forearm in front of his watery eyes.

"**What is so funny?"** Katherine asked him, elbowing him in the ribs, while sliding her gaze on his laying tone and naked body.

"**Oh my God, Katerina…I just had the image coming in front of my eyes…" **He said in laughter to her, while putting a log of wood into the fire place, adding.** "…You managed to make Charles hide under a dinning table! This is hilarious and it just hit me, his face was priceless!"** He said to her, while rolling himself on the fur rug, and grabbing her by the waist, to bring her body in his arms, her legs interlacing with his, her head on his right shoulder, her left hand caressing the skin of his chest, while giggling none stop with him.

"**Or Elizabeth when she showed herself coming from underneath the table…"** She added to him, while bursting into laughter with him.

"**OMFG…Woman, you're a force of nature, all by yourself, I'm telling you!" **He whispered to her, kissing her forehead, his chin in top of her head, while caressing her hair.

Katherine rolled in top of him, before crossing her arms in top of his chest, and putting her chin on them, while smiling at him.

"**A force of nature that you love to go against though…"** She teased him.

"**I always loved a challenge…And, it is because I know how to tame this force of nature…"** He replied, while winking and smiling at her, while slowly caressing her back.

"**Oh…So that is what you think…"** She responded, while returning his smile, adding. **"…You know that you look deliciously sexy with a beard of several days on your face…" **

"**Duly noted…" **He answered her, with a smirk of satisfaction on his face. **"…I was not aware that you thought I was sexy in the first place?" **

"**Well…Not really…" **She replied to him, while making a funny grin.** "…You have your moments though!" **She added, to enrage him.

Elijah started tickling her, and rolling over to put his body in top of hers.

"**What was that?"** He asked her, while holding her hands in top of her head, with a firm grip, and tickling her on each side of her waist.

"**Stop…Stop…Ok! You're handsome and extremely sexy!"** She said to him, while laughing. **"But…"** She added.

"**But…"** He asked her, while rising one of his eyebrows.

"**You run like a girl!"** She added to him, while giggling none stop. **"…I'm sorry, but it is true!" **

"**Oh…You're so dead! Katherine Pierce…"** He replied to her in laughter, before crashing his mouth on hers, releasing her arms above her head, before feeling her hands sliding on his back, and her lips partying to let him take possession of her mouth.

* * *

><p>Katherine raised herself on her feet, before taking a small blanket in top of an arm chair, and covering herself with it, before approaching the office window, while smiling heavenly and touching the window glass with the tip of her fingers. She startled a little, while feeling Elijah's hands encircling her waist tightly, and his head resting on her left shoulders.<p>

"**It's snowing…"** She said to him, with the biggest smile on her face, while putting her hands on his arms and slowly caressing his bare skin, before adding. **"…When I was a little girl, I was trying to catch the snowflakes, and I was twirling and twirling with my mouth open, while trying to catch them in my mouth."** She explained to him, while turning her head to the left, drowning her stare in his, before raising her left hand to caress his bearded cheek and sweet kissing him on the lips. **"Merry Christmas, Elijah…"** She whispered near his lips, while impregnating her memory of this magic moment with him, and burying it in the deepness of her heart for ever, helping her to find the courage to leave in the next morning, like she had promise herself to do…She could not handle these growing feelings toward him…She did not even knew what they were, and this was scarring her more than anything else, in all her vampire life before, even more than Klaus!

"**Merry Christmas, Katerina…"** He replied to her, his lips on top of hers, while tightening his embrace, and deepening his kiss to her.

* * *

><p><em>Sebastian Brownston<em>, renamed, since he has turned as a vampire, as Eric, directed his walk through the luxurious reception of the hotel, before reaching the elevator, it was passed six o'clock in the evening, but New York City was still much alive and awake, even on this night of Christmas Eve. The elevator opened its doors at his highest level, and he directed rapidly his walk toward the entrance of the Penthouse suite.

The door was unlocked; he entered inside, before directing his walking steps toward the French open doors of the balcony, where a man was standing in front of the panoramic view, in the cold winter air, the collar of his jacket rose on his neck, with a glass of blood in his hands.

"**She's trying to find him?"** The man asked him, sensing that Eric was standing behind him, without turning around, while putting his glass at his mouth to gulp the red elixir.

"**Yes, I lost her track for the time being…But, I'll keep looking."** Eric responded to the man.

"**You know my dear Eric; your weakness for dangerous woman could easily cost you your life in the future."** The man warned him.

"**I really thought that Elise had real feelings toward me…"** Eric responded to him, while lowering his head, and adding. **"But I guess…She played me for a fool!"**

"**Most women do…if they are human or vampire, it doesn't change a thing…Sooner or later they betray you the most horrible way possible…"** The man explained to him, while closing his left fist with anger, adding. **"…You learned your lesson, now, the best part is the revenge…It will give you pleasure!"**

"**Perhaps…" **Eric answered him, while lowering his head.

"**And as for…" **The man started to ask, while being cut in his sentence by Eric.

"**He's back in England, in his Manor…"** Eric responded to him, adding. **"…Will you travel there soon?" **

The man smirked; drank the last gulp of blood in his glass, before turning to face Eric.

"**No, it is too soon to meet my son again…Way too soon!"** The man responded to Eric, before passing by him, and entering inside his Penthouse Suite.

"**As you wish, Mikael…"** Eric responded to the Original vampire man.

* * *

><p>"<strong>You are a difficult man to track, Klaus…."<strong> The tall woman who just entered the dinning room of Klaus's Richmond Manor said to him, while getting rid of her leather gloves.

"**And yet again, my lovely….Here you are!"** Klaus responded to her, while elevating his boots on the dinning room table, and placing his Santa hat on his head. **"…What brings the daughter of **_Eleonore Greenwich_** in my humble abode on this Christmas Eve, or should I call you **_**Elisa**_**?"**

Elise blenched when she heard her birth name pronounced by him. His reputation of being the Devil could finally be true!

"**You took your information before my arrival, as I can see?" **She answered him back.

She took a few more walking steps on her patent black high heels to reach Klaus's sitting position at the far end of the dinning table, before getting rid of her winter coat, and putting it on a near dinning chair table, showing a very low neckline black dress. Even after approaching his sitting position, and because of the dim light of the room, Elise was still not able to fully see his facial features.

"**I'm curious by nature, I don't trust stranger around me…Especially beautiful women…**_**Love**_**, my dearest, is a vampire greatest weakness…Therefore, I learned to only love myself! Maybe we have that in common?"** Klaus responded sarcastically to her, adding. **"And you, you are either suicidal or you have an angle for finding me, either way…Nothing is assuring you that you will leave my home alive in the next five minutes!"**

"**Maybe I'm a little bit of both….Maybe I am just curious to see what my mother's fascination toward you was…And, what Elijah's brother looked like…Yes, I know your brother….." **Elise answered him back, adding. **"…Perhaps, I can offer you something that you are desperately seeking….And maybe, I can also offer you my company for this Christmas Eve?" **

"**And what would that be, sweetheart, that I am seeking so desperately?" **Klaus asked her, while slowly rising on his feet and approaching her standing position, and in a matter of seconds projecting her on the wall behind her, with a hand on her throat, making her cough and chook for oxygen. **"I don't take the left over of my brother in my bed; put that in your little pretty head!"** He murmured near her lips, making her shiver with fear.

He was tall, and thin, with dark blond curly hair, and a square jaw…he was not for say handsome, but he had a wild beauty of his own….and while praying for her life, Elise could notice at first glance, that he had not a lot of resemblance with Elijah.

"**But, he certainly took your left over in his!"** She responded "tit for tat" to him, while locking her eyes with his and seeing him blench for a second.

"**Meaning…."** Klaus asked her, while loosening his grip on her neck.

"**Katerina Petrova - Katherine Pierce…Whatever name you want to give her…I know where she is."** She replied to him.

"**I'm listening…"** He answered her.

"**She's in England, under Elijah's protection, in his Manor, in the country site of Chester City…" **She mumbled to him, while putting her hands on his, to make him release them. **"..Please!"** She murmured to him.

He finally released his hands grip on her neck, before letting her go.

"**Excuse my lack of chivalry…I'm usually more friendly at first meeting, I hope you'll soon appreciate my implacable sense of repartee and my wonderful sense of humour…And I can assure you that I can be a delightful company for a woman, if she stays alive for the entire date!" **He replied to petrify and shivering Elise, with a smirk on his face.

"**What are you going to do with the information I just gave you?"** She asked him.

"**Come, my dear….You look petrify in the middle of the dinning room…"** He said to her, with a hand gesture and a lot of sarcasm, adding with a devious smile on his face. **"…Let just say, that: **_You better watch out, you better not cry, better no pout, I'm telling you why…Santa Klaus if coming to Chester City very soon…._**" **He added with sarcasm to her. **"Sit!" **He ordered her to do, while pulling a chair.** "Fist, we'll have a wonderful Christmas diner together, to get acquainted…And I don't easily take no for an answer…Then, depending if I like you or not…I might rethink my policy of not taking the left over of my brother into my bed, or, I could easily kill you instead!"**

* * *

><p>Charles directed his walking steps on the snow in the alley of the Manor, while raising the collar of his winter coat, to protect himself of the winter wind. This Christmas night had brought its share of blizzard and coldness on the England land. He had passed the night at a random pub, which bizarrely had stayed open for a few lonely customers on this Christmas Eve', with for those poor souls, only glasses of beers to drawn their sorrow and loneliness as a celebration.<p>

He arrived on top of the Manor porch, and turned his attention to the right, when he heard an almost none perceivable sound of moaning, and crying.

"**Elizabeth!"** He exclaimed, while getting rid of his gloves and directing his walk rapidly toward her sitting position on a wooded bench. **"…What on earth are you doing here, in the middle of the night, and in this cold?" **He asked her, while taking a sitting position near her.

Elizabeth raised her sight to look at him, her face ravaged by hours of crying, tears still running fluently on her cheeks.

"**I don't know…And I didn't know where to go…"** She mumbled almost incoherently to Charles, with a teary voice.

"**Ohhh….My dear Elizabeth…"** Charles said to her, while taking her hands in his, and adding. **"…You husband passed away, Is it that?"**

Elizabeth nodded her head to Charles, while closing her eyes, and holding her handkerchief in her shaking hands.

Charles put his arms around her, gently pulling her in his arms, her head resting on his left shoulder.

"**It's going to be alright…It will be ok!"** Charles murmured to her, while holding her tightly against the warm of his chest.

* * *

><p><strong>And once again, <em>Katherine Pierce<em> would soon learn that a sad event, will forbid her to leave the Manor in the next morning.**

* * *

><p>To all of you, my dear readers and reviewers, who are following my story since the beginning, both with members registration on the FF site and the one's who do it randomly…<strong>a big thank you from the bottom of my heart<strong> and ….So, here we go, to:

_Jess, Emma, Monica, Melissa, Wendy, Pamela, Eve, Amy, Carla, cookygirl23, Leighton, Jasper and Bella, Ebella, Ilovemycookies11, TheAnnaKpick, ElijahKatherineShips, PrincessCruella, forbiddenluv, Thewondermagicalme, Cass, canadiandonutsarethesexies, thecoolnerd, VampireWolfLady, Pandora, Vampirelurve99, Darkshadowarchfiend, Pamela010, fetchcrew, delenakiss, Pamela(member), sometimesmilla, Kay, LilaBanks9, DelenaandKelijah4life, BadBoyAreBest, Mineola, Littleredress, ….**If I forget someone you are in my thoughts**…And, also, all the random readers…for you:_

"**FELIZ NAVIDAD" – MERRY CHRISTMAS - MY DEAR KALIJAH READERS!**

**AND A HEALTHY 2012 HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

**Lovely Vero.**

**Next chapter: **In the line of fire.


	13. In the line of fire

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA

**- Lovely Vero - **

**Writer's note****: **Buckle your seatbelts, my dear readers…this will be a bumpy chapter, with full pack action! Do not say that I did not warn you! (LOL)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

**IN THE LINE OF FIRE**

* * *

><p><em>Morning, December 27th<em>

_Chester City cemetery_

A grey sky was covering the gothic atmosphere of the cemetery; the winter wind in the dead branches of the trees was whispering a morbid deadly sound, and if you would listen more carefully a predicament of upcoming danger.

A small group of family and friends, dressed all in black, was standing in front of an open hole dug in the cold ground. If it was not for the priest, with his red religious scarf, no trace of colour would have been seen in this obscure image of darkness.

Elizabeth was standing in front of the open ground, her head lowered, with an empty expression on her face. No tears were running on her face, she was simply standing straight and holding in her hands a single white rose, like the rest of her family was holding in theirs.

"**It is with great sadness and sorrow that we are all gathered here today, to pay our respect to **_**Julian Armand Johnson**_**, his wife Elizabeth, daughters Julianne, Mary, and son Grant." **The priest started recited in a perfect and so well known speech. "**The laws of the Lord are sometimes difficult to understand upon our poor human souls, especially with a death related to a horrible sickness, but believe that Julian is now relieved of all his suffering, and is standing beside God, in his heaven of love." **

Katherine walked silently through the ground alley of the cemetery, directing her walking steps toward the small group who was standing in front of her, while raising her coat collar on her face, to protect her for the coldness of the wind, before putting her hands in her winter coat front pockets. She reached Charles's standing position, before placing herself silently at his side. He was standing straight, while holding his hands together in a solemn gesture, with an empty but respectful stare in his eyes. She looked at the scatter group present, and finally saw Elijah a second later, locking her eyes with his. He was standing in front of her. She smiled timidly to him, before lowering rapidly her sight away from his piercing gaze, while blushing. Since their Christmas night together, they had basically avoided each other, exchanging a few polite words, while meeting a couple of times in the corridors of the manor. He was standing in the same respectful way than Charles, but he looked tired, and he still had a beard of several days on his face, but his posture and clothes were impeccable. The awful sound of a coffin being pulled into the ground filled the silence of the cemetery, and made Katherine suddenly startled with uneasiness.

"**At the request of Elizabeth, take a moment to collect in your heart all the memories and thoughts of and for Julian...All you thoughts and love will certainly reach his soul in heaven."** The priest asked the group to do, while lowering his head, joining his hands together, and closing his eyes.

"**I never believed that crap…"** Katherine murmured in her teeth to Charles, who turned his head to look at her.

"**What exactly, miss Katherine, the crap being God?"** He asked her, in a whisper, while keeping his empty stare in the open space in front of him.

"**Mmm…." **She mumbled in her teeth, while feeling a tear appeared in her eyes, keeping her stare on Elizabeth, and on the sadness Katherine was noticing on her face, adding.** "…That said God who is supposed to take care of his children; while in the meantime, only suffering and pains hit humanity since centuries! Believe me…I tried to believe in him…But he always failed me. I only believe and trust in one person and one person only: myself, Charles!" **

Charles turned his head to look at Katherine, before rubbing his gloved hands together and adding.

"**God can't control men, Miss Katherine…He gave them a free will and freedom to control their own destiny...It is humanity itself who repeated the same mistakes over the centuries, not the other way around…You lived for centuries, you should know that…" **He explained to her, before adding.** "…And as for trusting and believing only in yourself, it is maybe time for you to change that, and not repeat the same mistake over and over again... "Lost" can be as painful for humans as it can be for vampires, the differences is that you need to live with your lost for eternity, Miss Katherine, and eternity can be a very long time!" **

Katherine turned her head surprised, while looking at Charles and seeing him nodding his head in direction of Elijah, before smirking at her. "Damn Charles!" She thought, before blushing and directing her sight toward Elizabeth who was standing on front of her husband buried coffin. After passing Christmas night with Elijah, she had taking back her goodbye letter that she had placed in top of Elijah's desktop, therefore, Charles had no idea that she was still planning to leave the Manor.

Elizabeth walked to reach the open hole in the ground, before throwing the white rose on top of the buried coffin, followed by her three children who did the same gesture.

"**What are only ashes must return to ashes…"** The priest said out loud to the small group, while making the sign of the cross in front of his chest, soon followed by a couple of random men and Elijah, who took shovels, throwing soil in top of the coffin.

Katherine turned her sight at Charles, while discreetly elbowing him. He turned to look at her, while shaking his head from right to left.

"**How come you're not helping?"** She murmured to him.

"**It is not my place…"** He answered her, while gesturing a sign of dismissal with his hands.

"**Not your place? Elijah is giving a hand, just now, how can it not be your place? …Wait a minute…"** She mumbled in her teeth, while noticing that Elizabeth was keeping her stare away from Charles, and vice versa. **"Charlie, what I've missed, what happened between you two?"**

"**Miss Katherine…"** Charles mumbled angrily in his teeth, in a very low whisper, while lowering his head, near hers. **"…Could you lower your voice, it is not the place to have a chit-chat…Pay your respect, and just keep quiet!" **

"**I can't stop talking…It is so damn depressing… "Death", I mean!" **She replied to Charles.

"**Not to point out the obvious to you, but you're dead yourself, Miss Katherine!"** Charles added to her.

"**Yes, and that is why I know it is depressing, **_**Charlie**_**!" **Katherine responded to him.

Charles rolled his eyes, before crossing his arms in front of his chest and shaking his head from right to left.

"**I will keep quiet…but don't think that you won't spill and tell me what happen between you and Elizabeth!"** Katherine murmured to him.

"**A man can only dream, Miss Katherine!"** Charles responded to her, while rolling his eyes one more time, and passing a rapid hand on his face.

The coffin was finally covered into the ground; the priest presented one last time his respects to Elizabeth and family, before leaving them standing beside the covered coffin. Katherine took a few steps toward Elizabeth, before holding her pace; Elizabeth raised her head and finally saw her, before taking a few walking steps, herself, to reach Katherine standing position.

"**Oh, Miss Katherine, how thoughtful of you to be here…"** Elizabeth said to her, while smiling timidly, and taking Katherine's hands in hers.

"**I…I don't know what to say…I'm not into the all "pay your respect thing""** Katherine mumbled to Elizabeth, while shrugging her shoulders, and timidly smiling back at her, while noticing the emptiness in Elizabeth sight, the dark circles under her eyes, and the extreme whiteness of her skin.

"**Don't worry Miss Katherine, the important thing is that you came…And I am so grateful for it."** She responded to Katherine, while squeezing her hands in hers.

"**It would be my pleasure to bring you and your family back home, Elizateh."** Elijah said to Elizabeth, while reaching their standing positions, creating a wave of shivers in Katherine's body at the sound of his voice.

Katherine turned on herself, looking directly into his eyes; while seeing him turning his head, and locking his brown eyes with hers for a short moment, in an intense silent exchange, before turning back his sight on Elizabeth.

"**Master Elijah, you already did so much for us, I don't want to impose…"** Elizabeth replied to him, while rubbing her hands.

"**It's not an imposition, Elizabeth…It is a pleasure, believe me!"** He said, while smiling at her.

"**Then, I gracefully accept…"** Elizabeth responded to him, while nodding her head.

He showed her the way, with a hand gesture, while putting the said hand on her back a moment after. Elizabeth passed beside Charles, stopped and raised her sight on him. **"Thank you for coming."** She said in respectful, but colder tone of voice, to Charles.

"**Mmm…Interesting…"** Katherine murmured to him, while approaching Charles standing position, and crossing her arms in front of her chest. **"…Is it me, or it's getting chillier in here suddenly?" **She added to him, while smirking, and continuing. **"What did you do to her, **_**Charlie**_**?" **

"**Miss Katherine, could you please stop talking!" **Charles replied to her, while rolling his eyes, and walking toward his car. **"…And why did you not follow Master Elijah, Mmm? Is it me or a certain exchange of glare was awkward a moment ago?" **He mocked her openly.

"**I prefer to ride with you, Charlie…So; I can talk to you none stop till you tell me what happen between you and Elizabeth, she is avoiding you like you're going to bite her! Did you? Bite her, or maybe kiss her?"** She responded to him, while winking at him, and elbowing him.

"**Isn't it interesting, Miss Katherine…Because, I was thinking exactly the same thing, I could also talk to you none stop, until you'll tell me what happen exactly between you and Master Elijah on, and since, Christmas night, and why you are so awkwardly staring at each other…And for exactly one hour of drive, Is this fun or what? Now, I wonder who will tell first."** He replied to her, while tilting his head, smirking, shaking his shoulders, and winking back at her.

"**I really hate you, Charles Brownston…"** She mumbled angrily in her teeth, while walking ahead of him, in direction of his parked car.

"**Oh come on, Miss Katherine, it would be so fun!"** He screamed at her, while taking a caramel candy from his coat right pocket, and putting it in his mouth, while laughing at the same time that she was turning on herself and passing out her tongue at him.

* * *

><p>The New Year had started on a darker note in the Manor, and a veil of sadness could be felt among the daily tasks of the employees. Charles directed his walk toward the kitchen, while rapidly passing through the mail, before opening the kitchen swinging door, and coming face to face with Elizabeth, who bumped into him, without noticing his arrival, while putting one of her hand on his chest.<p>

"**I'm so sorry…"** She said to him, while blushing, and lowering her hand, before brushing her apron nervously.

"**No need…I was in the way!"** Charles replied to her.

She nodded respectfully to him, while pushing the door, before being held by Charles words addressed to her.

"**Elizabeth…This is ridiculous! We need to talk…"** He said to her, while putting the mail on the kitchen counter, turning to face her, and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**What do you want to talk about Charles?"** She asked him, while avoiding looking at him in the eyes.

"**You perfectly know what I want to talk about…"** He replied to her, adding. **"…Hate me as much as you want, Elizabeth. But, I beg you to forgive me, and that we put that unfortunate incident behind us, and just come back as being good co-workers and friends." **

"**Forgive you…For what exactly Charles?" **She asked him, with an open mouth, adding.** "You have absolutely nothing to be forgiven for…It's me who is ashamed, and feel so awkward in your presence…It's me who did wrong!" **She explained to him.

"**I'm sorry, Elizabeth…But we were two participating under the porch that day…" ** He simply replied to her, adding. **"…And why should you feel ashamed, are you able to explain it to me?" **He asked her.

"**For kissing you, and have no shame about it, for being an unfaithful wife to my dying husband, for having no morality for my own children…" **She busted in front of him, while tears appeared in her eyes.

"**Ohhhh…."** Charles sighed, while closing his eyes, and shaking his head, adding. **"…Elizabeth, you're human, you passed many months with a man who was sick and who was not able to give you what a woman should receive…You needed human touch...There is not need to put you down that way for this…I can assure you!" **He explained to her, while approaching her, making her raised her sight to look at him.

"**I'm still so sorry…"** She said to him, while locking her eyes with his.

"**Well, I'm not…Because there is nothing to be sorry about!"** He replied, while smiling at her, adding. "**Can we put that incident behind us, Elizabeth?"**

"**Certainly…" **She replied to him, while nodding her head.

"**Good!" **He replied to her, adding.** "Now, how are you? Are you holding up?" **

"**I miss him; I miss him a lot…" **She replied to Charles, with tears in her eyes.

"**It's completely understandable, you should miss him, It's a part of grieving." **Charles replied to her, while titling his head to the right, and smiling.

"**Thank you…"** Elizabeth replied to him, while feeling forbidden butterflies in her belly, while staring at him.

"**You're welcome…"** Charles said to her, while hearing the kitchen door being pushed, and turning his head to look at Katherine.

"**Oh, I'm sorry…I did not knew that you two wanted some privacy."** Katherine said to them, while turning around, before being interrupted by Elizabeth.

"**None sense, Miss Katherine…Please come!"** Elizabeth said to her, with a hand gesture, while seeing Katherine entering and dropping a suitcase at her feet. **"What is this?"** Elizabeth asked her, nodding at the suitcase, with a worrying look on her face, adding. "**No, Miss Katherine, don't leave…You're the heart and soul of this house!" **

"**It's time…" **Katherine replied to her, while feeling a lump in her throat, avoiding looking at Charles, and holding her tears as much as possible.

"**Come here…"** Elizabeth said to her, while bringing Katherine in her arms, hugging her strongly in a warm and friendly embrace. **"…I'm going to miss you, Miss Katherine." **She murmured in her ear, before gently pushing her away, and leaving the kitchen with sadness and tears in her eyes.

Katherine looked at Charles, before lowering her head and saying.

"**I waited as long as possible after her husband has passed away…"** She simply admitted to him.

"**I know…"** He replied to her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest. **"…Did you tell him?"** He simply asked of her, while referring to Elijah.

Katherine shook her head in negation, before saying:

"**I'm going to see him now, before leaving for good…" **

Charles nodded his head, before taking a few walking steps, and standing in front of the window, while staring at the emptiness of the winter garden.

"**Do you need money, or a place to stay?"** Charles asked her, while holding his restrain.

"**No, I'm fine; I have money hidden in different places…"** She responded to him, with a small smile on her face.

"**That's what I thought…"** Charles responded to her, while smirking.

"**But thanks…"** Katherine said to him, while feeling tears running, sweeping her hands on her cheeks to make it disappear. **"…Ok, bye Charles"** She whispered to him, before leaving an envelope with his name on the kitchen counter.

"**You'll be back you know…"** He said to her, while keeping his stare in front of him.

"**I don't think so, Charles…"** She responded to him.

"**But I do!"** He simply added.

She bended her upper body to pick up her luggage, while suddenly changing her mind, dropping it on the floor again, walking rapidly over to Charles, before raising herself on her tip toes, and kissing him on the left cheek.

"**Take care of yourself, Charles…."** She said to him, before rushing rapidly out of the kitchen, leaving him with only the silence to fill the room, while keeping his stare in front of him.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Do you need money?"<strong> Elijah asked her, standing in front of his office window, while slowly putting a glass of Whisky to his mouth, and gulping its content.

Katherine was standing in front of the open office door, while fixing Elijah's back and standing position. The thing with vampires is that they could always feel you near them, even with you're hiding, more so if you are a vampire yourself…And, what was it with men in front of windows today, and with them asking her if she needed money? He suddenly turned and looked at her, before smirking sarcastically. He seemed to be back as his old self, he had finally shaved, and he seemed to be sobered contrary to the image given. This would be the first real conversation that they would be having together, since Christmas Eve.

"**You've never liked of a man who wanted to take charge, and help you…Haven't you, Katerina?" **Elijah said to her, while dropping his glass on his desk top, and sitting on its edge, while putting his left arm on his elevated knee.

Katherine took a few steps to reach him, putting her hands in her winter coat, stopping in front of him, while lowering her stare to look at him in the eyes.

"**You've never liked an independent woman either. I can take care of myself; I've been doing that for a very long time."** She replied to him.

"**Yes, you can…"** He confirmed to her, while nodding his head. **"…You have to excuse my way of being old-fashioned…I like my women a bit more submissive." **He added to her, very sarcastically.

"**And I like my men to be living among us in the twentieth centuries!" **She replied, "tit for tat", to him, adding.** "You…you knew I was leaving?"**

"**Katerina, I've been living in this body for more than thousand of years. I've studied human emotions, as I've studied vampire emotions…I see evolutions over the centuries, technologies emerge…I saw everything imaginable and none imaginable…You think I did not knew you were going to leave?" **He asked her, while raising one of his eyebrows, and locking his eyes with her, adding.** "You think that I thought that our first one night stand in front of the open fire, in the blissful Christmas night settings meant something to you…Or to me? Please, give me more credit than this!"**

Stabbing her harshly in the heart repeatedly, would have been way better than receiving those hurtful words in her face. She closed her fists, but kept her stare in his, while retaining her tears.

"**You know me, always a good participant for a little bit of fun time with a man or another, doesn't matter…Especially, when I am bored, like I've been in here!"** She harshly responded to him.

"**Well…The route is open in front of you now, you are free to leave, and find more enjoyment somewhere else!"** He said to her, without any trace of emotions showing on his face or in his voice, while gesturing a fictive open path, with his right hand. **"Do you need Roger to drive you to the airport? I am assuming that you are leaving England?" **

"**I called a cab." **She answered him, while turning on herself, and directing her walking steps toward the arch door, adding. "**Good luck, Elijah…Thank you for saving my life."**

"**Katerina…" **He called her, at the moment she was exiting the room.

She turned around, while looking at him, and hoping…hoping for anything…but something.

"**Keep safe, be careful!"** He added to her, before raising himself on a standing position, taking his glass back in his hand, and turning his back at her.

She lowered her head, put her right hand on her mouth, bended her upper body to take her luggage, before running toward the Manor's entrance, while holding her tears and wailing, not aware that Charles had listen to their exchange, while being hidden in a corner of a wall in the corridor.

* * *

><p>Elijah kept his eyes closed while feeling a tear running on his cheek…It has been centuries that he had not shed a tear for anyone, or anything…It seemed unnecessary to do it now! He suddenly, re-opened his eyes, while restraining himself of further weakness.<p>

"**Yes!"** He said out loud, while turning to himself, and facing Charles. "**You have the authorization of saying that I just acted like a jerk, Charles." **

"**Well, now that you are mentioning it, and gracing me the authorization, Master Elijah…But, I was thinking more as the expression "coward ass"!" **Charles said to him, while crossing his arm in front of his chest, and looking at him with a mad glare.

Elijah raised his stare on Charles in surprise, before directing his steps toward the bar, and pouring himself another drink.

"**How many bottles will it take for you to forget her?"** Charles asked him.

"**I don't know what you are talking about."** Elijah responded to him, while gulping his entire glass, before pouring to himself another one, adding. **"Katerina regain her freedom, it was only fair after she almost die in the hands of Elise, I always pay my debt, Charles." **

"**Oh…You can't be serious, son?"** Charles said to him, adding. **"Are you joking? That will be your excuse for not flatten your over size ego, and keep the woman that you love at your side?" **

"**Don't go there, Charles…" **Elijah replied to him, while raising an angry stare at him.

"**Well…You're right, let me just stay in front of you while you will drank your sorrow till you'll be a drunken **_coward ass_** …and then repeat the same gesture tomorrow…"** Charles lashed out at him.

"**Katerina has a mind of her own, Charles…She comes and goes, whenever she wants, she's not the young innocent human girl that I've met in the past anymore**" He lashed out at Charles, while gesturing with his hands.

"**Then if she is not the same girl, why aren't you starting calling her: **_Katherine_**, instead of Katerina, your poor past name excuse for the memory of her!"** Charles screamed at him, while pacing back and forth in front of him, adding. **"You think you did not change, son…You think you're the same man that you were when she met you back then, well…I have news flash for you…You changed! And what if she did? You think that the fearless, strong woman that she is now was not already inside of the sweet girl that she was back then? If so, you're a bigger fool that I always thought you were!"**

Elijah kept his stare in Charles's, biting his jaw, to calm his fury mind down, he took a few steps to reach Charles's standing position, before locking his eyes with Charles, while seeing him raise his chin in confrontation.

"**Well…The **_fool and coward ass_** that I am gave **_Katherine_** her freedom back, because that is what she always wanted…If you are not grasping that fact, Charles, you are a bigger fool that I always thought YOU were…Now, you should be happy, she won't have to suffer from me presence anymore."** He said to Charles, before storming out of the room. **"I'm going out…ridding Rosemary!"** He added to him, before closing the door in a loud slamming sound.

* * *

><p>The Saint Joseph Orphanage wooded front door opened in front of Katherine's eyes for the second time in a short period of time. A young novice smiled at her, before asking her the purpose of her visit. Katherine asked if it was possible to see Sister Marie Rose, to which the young nun agreed by smiling, nodding her head, and inviting Katherine to following her into the narrow corridors of the Orphanage.<p>

"**Thank you, my dear Ingrid!"** Sister Marie Rose said to the young woman, who had invited Katherine to enter inside the small office, before leaving herself.

Sister Marie Rose raised her head in surprise at the view of Katherine.

"**Miss Katherine Pierce, if my old memory is serving me right?"** The head sister asked her.

"**Yes, nice to see you again, Sister…"** Katherine responded to her, while nodding her head.

"**What brings you a second time in here, my child?"** The sister asked her, while tilting her head, and holding her hands together in front of her robe.

"**I was wondering if it would be possible to see one of the orphanage children."** Katherine asked her.

"**One of the children from the choral, I presume…"** Sister Marie Rose demanded with a smile.

"**Not exactly…The last time I was here, I wondered around in the nursery, and I saw a baby…"** Katherine started explaining to her.

"**Awww…And your heart skipped a beat, I presume…And you want to see the young one again?"** The sister asked her, with a smile on her face.

"**If it is not too much asking…"** Katherine replied to her, adding. **"…His name is Theodore" **

All colours left the nun's face, while showing a whiter than white ghost complexion to Katherine.

"**It's not possible…"** She mumbled to Katherine, with a detached tone of voice, while walking back to her office desk and taking her sitting position once again. **"But I am sure that we could arrange for you a visit with some other children"** She added to Katherine.

Katherine raised one of her eyebrows, before shaking her head in negation.

"**Thank you, but no…I came to see Theodore, I am leaving England in a couple of hours, and I would appreciate seeing him again…"** She insisted to the head sister.

"**And again, my child, I will decline your demand…"** The sister answered her more strongly, adding. "**Theodore is a child with special needs…I prefer to keep him** **isolated for the time being…" **

"**You mean you prefer to keep him all alone, in his cradle, while crying his heart out, and being treated badly by the other nuns…Not very Christian of you, is it?" **Katherine responded harshly to her.

"**It's enough!"** The sister screamed at her, while rising on her two legs, adding. **"This is my congregation, I perfectly know what is good or bad for one of my orphan…As for you, you simply don't have all the facts, Miss Pierce…And as much as I appreciate Mister Elijah donation…I won't be subordinate by one of his employee! I will ask you to leave!" **

"**Ohh don't worry, Sister, I'll leave, and I'll let you run your saint orphanage, with your saint nuns…And in the meantime, I'll ask your precious God to save your soul and the ones of your saint congregation!"** Katherine lashed out at her, before getting out of the office, and slamming the door behind her.

* * *

><p>Katherine kept her sight on the route, while sitting in the passenger seat of the taxi and looking through the window at the dusk sky, tears fluently running on her cheeks, which she brushed away with the back of her hands. The last time she had felt an emptiness and sadness inside of her, was when she had found her entire family dead…but in a sense, it was the same today…She was mourning the lost of another family, and more so, she was mourning the fact that she was killing her feelings toward Elijah.<p>

It took her a while, before finally noticing that the taxi driver was not taking the route to the airport, but was rather driving on small country roads.

"**I'm sorry..."** She called the man, who raised his eyes to look at her in the interior mirror. **"I said airport?"**

The man kept staring at her for a short while, before lowering his stare, and keeping his sight on the route in front of him. Katherine startled, and raised one of her eyebrows, while keeping in all cost her sight on the taxi driver. How was this even possible? She hadn't notice that before? Usually, she was more aware of her surroundings and the danger that could be lurking near her. But today, had been a different day…Today she had put her guards down…and she needed to stop this if she wanted to have a chance in hell to stay alive! How could she have missed, especially in a so small habitable, that no heartbeat could be felt and heard by her?

"**You realized that you will be dead, in a matter of seconds?"** Katherine said to the vampire man.

"**I'm just following orders to bring you here…Nothing more."** The man responded to her, before slowing down the car speed, and stopping in the middle of the country route, Katherine raised he sight, and startled hard, while locking her sight through the windshield into Klaus's, who was standing in the middle of the deserted route, with his arms and hands crossed in front of himself.

"**Hello Sweetheart."** He said to her, filling the quietness of the night with his loud and arrogant tone of voice, and only the moon ray of lights to show his facial features under the dusk sky, while smiling devilishly to her, adding. **"…Going somewhere, my love?"**

Katherine froze all her movements, and kept her stare in his, while trying to keep calm, and lowering her stress level…Only a relax mind would save her from this deadly impasse.

"**You know…"** He continued addressing himself to her, while sitting on the hood of the car behind him, before elevating one of his legs and boots, and leaning his right arm on his right knee. **"…I always wanted to come back to England, what a great country, and Chester City, so rural…And seriously, how lucky am I, to find you here, in all places in the world…I'm telling you Katerina, you are loosing your edge, my lovely. It's getting way too easy for me to find you now."** He said to her, while laughing and shaking his head from right to left. **"…How's my moralistic brother by the way? Please, give him my regards, would you? I'm just wondering…Is he seriously that good in bed though, Katerina?"** He added to her, while raising himself in a standing position, and slowly taking few, slow, and calculated walking steps to reach her car. **"And by the way, Love…Tic Tac Tic Tac, time is running out…The house in on fire!" **He sarcastically said to her, while shaking his fingers from right to left in front of the windshield, continuing. **"And be gentle with my new vampire minion, would you…Kill him nicely at least?" **

She needed to act now, not a second later…It took a split of a second for Katherine to reach in her vampire speed the front passenger seat of the car, before wrestling rapidly against her vampire assailant, in a quick and more than easy win, while opening the taxi driver's door, entering her fist in his chest, pushing his body with her high heels boots out of the small habitable and pulling his heart away in the same impact, before throwing the red organ on the side route, making it rolled and bumping on the decomposing vampire body, in a matter of seconds, before closing her driver's doors, pushing the speed pedal at the maximum and therefore the car toward Klaus, which he avoided by a fraction of a second with his vampire speed, standing on the side road, before seeing her speeding the car in reverse, spinning on itself, while leaving on a grinding of the wheels.

"_This had been way too easy…_" Katherine thought, while rubbing her bloody hands on her coat, closing her eyes for a fraction of a second to calm her nerves, **… "What is this lunatic meant by: The house is on fire?"** She said out loud to herself, while passing the back of her right hand on her face** "Oh God…The manor!"** She exclaimed out loud to herself…before pushing the taxi cab at the highest speed possible.

Klaus kept his stare on the speeding car that was drifting away from his sight, while standing, both of his hands on each side on his waist, with a big smirk on his face. He suddenly heard a bang noise coming from a car door being slammed with anger, before hearing the shrill sounds of high heels hitting the pavement of the road.

"**What is this?"** He heard a feminine voice asking him, and adding. **"Why did you let her go? Are you crazy or what?" **

Klaus slowly turned on himself, while staring at her with fiery eyes and an angry expression on his face, it took him a split second to push her with his vampire speed on the hood of the car, while bending his upper body on hers, with a firm grip of his right hand on her throat, making her loose her breath in a matter of seconds.

"**Now, listen to me, my dear Elise, and listen to me very carefully…"** He whispered harshly to her, his face bending at a near inch of hers. **"…This is my game, sweetheart, not yours. I'll play the way that I want to play, and you'll simply follow my order like the good girl that you are, am I clear?" **

She nodded her head in an obedient gesture, being free of his steel grip on her throat, before coughing to catch her breath.

"**Good!"** Klaus said to her, while smiling heavenly at her. **"Now, bring your beautiful bottom in the car…I'd like to take a look at the spectacle of the burning manor of my brother!" **He added to her, while showing her with a hand gesture to get going.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Fire…Help, someone!" <strong> A maid screamed from the top of her lungs, while racing down the upfront outside stairs of the manor, before being projected on the ground, by a fire explosion coming from one of the right side window.

Commotion followed rapidly, screams, cries, and staff running outside in the cold winter air. A dense fog of smoke was starting to fill the first level corridors of the Manor, several staff members ran along the walls, while putting a cloth over their mouth, their upper arm, or simply a hand, to help them breathe and find the most secure way, out of the Manor.

Charles ran into the main corridor, while frantically looking around and screaming:

"**Don't go upfront…Take the corridors toward the back kitchen, and get out by the garden…Quick!" **He screamed to them, whilepushing them in that direction andbumping into Gardie, before holding him immobile by putting his hands on his shoulders**. "Did somebody call the fire station?"**

"**I was not able to do it…All the lines are down…" **Gardie responded to him.

"**OK…"** Charles mumbled to him, adding. **"…I'll grab my cell phone, if I can. Did you see Elizabeth?" **

"**No…Nobody saw her." **Gardieanswered Charles while shaking his head in negation.

"**I'll try to find her, by the mean time, go in the stable to see if the horses are ok…Master Elijah left couple of hours ago with Rosemary, he must be at the verge of coming back." **Charles screamed at Gardie, while pushing him toward the corridor filled with smoke.

"**Ok, I'll do that, Mister Charles."** Gardie responded to him, before directing his walking steps toward the back of the Manor, while helping the staff.

Charles dashed into the opposite of the safety side of the corridor, while coughing and trying to avoid the pieces of fire beams that were dropping from the ceiling.

"**Elizabeth!"** He screamed from the top of his lungs, while continuing his unsafe walk toward Elijah's office room.

* * *

><p>Two hours of riding, while feeling the cold winter air slapping forcefully his body, and face, haven't even calm Elijah down or gave him any new perspective on his anger. He felt empty, lost, and in real turmoil inside of him. She had left only since a couple of hours, and he felt a void even bigger than the first time she had run away from the Klaus's Sacrifice, back in 1492. Charles was maybe right, he had been too harsh toward her…but at the same time, he perfectly knew that <em>Katerina Petrova<em>, the sweet human girl that he had felt in love with had nothing to do with _Katherine Pierce,_ the vampire woman of these present days.

He finally rode the last few miles, and raised his head to look at his estate at the horizon, before startling, and raising one of his eyebrows, a tick cloud of black smoke filled the emptiness of the far dusk sky, with what seemed to be flames coming from his Manor.

"**Come on Rosemary…"** He whispered to his horse, while bending his upper body, in a laying position on the horse back. **"Push yourself baby!"** He screamed to the animal, while hitting softly its sides with the back of his ridding boots, to make Rosemary race even more.

He arrived to his estate, and directed his horse rapidly to the stable, while jumping on his feet and giving the bridle to Gardie.

"**What happen?"** Elijah asked him frantically.

"**We have no ideas, Master Elijah…For a minute everything was fine, and then the minute after, it was the panic, explosion in different parts of the Manor, fire, and staff were trying to run outside as quickly as possible." **Gardie tried to explain to him.

"**Where's Charles?" **Elijah asked him.

"**Last time I saw him; he was helping the staff getting out of the Manor…and he was trying to find Mrs. Elizabeth!" **Gardie explained to him, before turning both their heads in synchronisation, to look toward the Manor, after another fire explosion had occurred. Elijah rushed himself toward the Manor, while screaming to Gardie.

"**Calm the horses, and gather all the staff at the same place. We need to know that everybody is safe and sound, If not done already, call for help in the village!" **

"**Master Elijah, be careful and keep safe!" **Gardie screamed back at him, while trying to keep Rosemary calm.

* * *

><p>The smoke density had amplified in a matter of minutes, Charles was experiencing some difficulty to breathe, and was coughing, while bending his upper body to catch air in his lungs. He raised his head, and could finally see the entrance of Elijah's office.<p>

"**Elizabeth…Elizabeth? Where are you?"** He called her, while screaming for the hundred times her name, before finally reaching the office that was completely filled with a dark fog. He walked uncertain to the middle of the room, while holding himself on furniture, scattering the gloomy space, before turning to leave the room and passing the arch door, when he suddenly heard a whimper. **"Elizabeth?"**

"**Charles…"** He heard a voice calling him, in a weak murmur.

It is at that moment that he finally noticed a shadow, lying on the floor, near the desk. He rushed at her side, before knelling and helping her raised her upper body in a sitting position.

"**Are you ok, **_Love_**?"** Charles asked her, while helping her to stand on her feet.

"**I…I felt dizzy because of the smoke, and fainted, and probably hit my head on the desk…"** Elizabeth explained to Charles, while putting her hand on her forehead and feeling blood on her fingers.

"**Let me look at it?"** Charles asked her, while taking her face in his hands, and sweeping her hair to look at her wound. **"…It's ok, it's just a scratch, but we have to get out of here…" **He told her, putting an arm around her waist to support her, while passing her left arm around his neck, to help her keep her balance. **"…Elizabeth, are you able to walk?"** He asked her, while looking at her in the eyes.

"**I don't know…"** She started to whisper to him, before fainting in his arms.

It took him a fraction of a second, to lift her up in his arms, before reaching the arch door, coughing, and praying God that he would be able to find his way out of this fire hell.

* * *

><p>It is with a screech of tires that Katherine arrived in the front parking of the Mansion on fire. She rushed outside the car, before reaching the small group of staff that was scattered away from the flames, in helpless standing, with blankets on their shoulders to keep them warm.<p>

"**Oh, Miss Katherine…"** One of the maid exclaimed to her, while watching her run toward them.

"**What happened?"** Katherine asked her, reaching her standing position, while putting a hand on her left forearm.

"**We were finishing our work shifts, and suddenly different explosions happened in different quarters of the Manor…Followed by the fire…and…"** The maid mumbled almost incoherently to her, while putting a trembling hand over her mouth, to retain her need to cry.

Katherine nodded her head to the maid, while topping her none stop explanation, by holding her in a firm grip on her shoulders.

"**Where are Charles and Eli…and Master Elijah?" **She asked her.

"**I don't know…Last time we saw Mister Charles, he was searching for Mrs. Elizabeth in the Manor, but then we got out, and we lost him…As, for Master Elijah, I don't know, maybe he is in there!" **The maid explained to Katherine, while nodding in direction of the Manor.

"**Ok, stay here, stay put together!" **Katherine ordered her to do.

"**Miss Katherine, be careful!"** The maid screamed at her.

Katherine ran toward the front stairs, bending her upper body, while preparing herself to enter in the fire walls from hell, when she suddenly felt two forceful arms grabbing her waist, and dragging her away from the front porch.

"**Let go of me!"** She screamed from the top of her lungs, while kicking her feet in every directing, adding. **"They are in there, I have to go save them…let me go!"**

"**Katherine, calm down!"** She heard a voice calling her from behind, to control her outburst and anger, while being turned around in his assailant arms, to face him. **"It's me, I'm here!"** Elijah told her, while cupping her face in his hands, and locking his eyes with hers.

She stared at him in surprise for a short time, while lowering her stress level at the second she realized that he was alive, noticing his riding clothes, his sweater turtleneck, his scattered hair, before throwing herself in his arms, without even thinking about it, encircling his neck with her arms, while grabbing his hair with her right hand, closing her eyes, with a smile of relief.

Elijah startled hard in surprise, while closing his eyes himself for a split second, feeling her trembling body pressed on his, lowering one of his hand on her back, to hold her tight, while caressing her hair with the other. He suddenly pushed her away from him, while keeping a more distant body language.

"**Why are you back in the Manor, Katerina?"** He frantically asked her, while holding her with a firm grip on her upper arms.

"**I'm…."** She mumbled to him, before squeezing herself out of his grip of steal, more mad at herself, to have shown him for a few seconds, her true feelings of relieve for seeing him alive, adding. **"It's my fault, all of this, is my fault, Elijah…Charles and Elizabeth are in danger, because of me…" **She mumbled almost incoherently.

"**We don't have time for this, Katerina…" **He responded to her, whit a hand gesture of dismissal, adding.** "…Stay outside, you hear me, don't follow me, stay safe with the others… and I'll go in!"** He ordered her to do, pushing her aside and down the stairs, and taking his first steps toward the entrance of the Manor.

"**It's Klaus, Elijah…He's here!"** Katherine told him, in a scream.

"**That much, Katerina…I had already figured out myself…"** Elijah replied to him, while holding his pace for a short moment, and turning his head to look at her. **"Go!"** He added to her in an order, while showing her to go join the other with a hand gesture.

Katherine watched him entered inside the fiery Manor, before looking around herself, and rushing inside a second later.

* * *

><p>Fire beams were falling from the ceiling giving little chance if not none at Charles for finding his way though the debris, toward the front entrance of the Manor.<p>

It is with the most of luck that he finally reached the grand entrance, where an intense fire was spreading on the stairs. He looked to his left, to only see more fire damage in the parlour/ballroom.

"**Charles!"** He finally heard a voice calling him, not able to see through the intense smog, and directing his uncertain steps toward the said call.

"**Did you find him?"** Katherine asked Elijah, while standing beside him, in the middle of the safest spot on the entrance.

Elijah turned his head in surprise, only to notice her presence beside him, and grinning at her.

"**What are you doing here?"** He screamed at her, while grabbing forcefully her right arm. **"I told you to stay outside!"** He lashed out at her.

"**That's the thing with you, Elijah…You still don't grasp that I've never listen to you, won't now, and will never!"** She screamed back at him, with anger.

"**It told you to stay outside! For God sake, Katerina, It's dangerous!"** Elijah screamed at her, while pushing her harshly toward the only visible exit of the Manor.

"**Let go of my arm!"** She screamed back, while pulling her arm away from him.

"**You really want to piss me off, in the middle of a burning Manor!"** Elijah asked her, while bending his upper body near hers, showing a mad expression on his face.

"**I'll stay till we find Charles; don't even try ordering me around!"** She replied to him, while raising her chin in the air to look at him with a fearless glare, adding. **"What is it to you, anyway?" **

"**You're the most annoying and stubborn woman I ever met!"** He replied to her, suddenly raising his head and sight, while hearing a tearing sound, and noticing a part of the ceiling falling down on them, pushing her with his vampire speed on the wall behind them, to avoid being hit. **"Do you understand the danger now?" **He asked her.

"**Yes, and I don't give a damn about the danger, I want to find Charles and Elizabeth, you should not worry about me!"** She lashed out at him.

"**But I do, Katerina…"** He busted at her, while hitting his close fist on the wall behind her, adding. **"…And that is why I don't want anything to happen to you!"**

She startled in surprise, before raising her sight, and locking her eyes with his, while blushing, wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue, and putting her right hand on his chest, making Elijah approached his mouth of hers, in a electrify need to touch her.

"**We need help!"** They heard a voice calling them.

They turned their head before seeing Charles reaching their standing position, while carrying Elizabeth in his arm.

"**Is she ok?"** Katherine asked him, suddenly worried, before rushing at his side.

"**Yes! She just fainted."** Charles explained to them. **"Missed us already, Miss Katherine?"** He mockingly said, while smiling at her.

"**How can you tell?"** She replied to him, while smiling back at Charles, she was so relieved that they were all alive…She never felt that amazing feeling of happiness inside of her, in all her vampire life.

"**You're ok?"** Elijah asked, while seeing Charles nodding his head to him, and taking Elizabeth's fainted body from Charles's arms, before screaming. **"We have to go! We can't stay in here." **Elijah said to them, while carrying Elizabeth out of the Manor.

Charles nodded his head once again, before coughing and directing his steps behind Elijah, toward the main entrance.

"**Now, Katerina…"** Elijah screamed at her, while getting out on the porch, with Charles on his steps.

"**I'm coming…"** She replied, while scattering the interior of the burning Manor one more time, with tears in her eyes.

She was passing the porch arch when she heard a groan; she turned on herself, while trying to find out from where it was coming from, before raising her head above the majestic staircase on fire, and seeing Max, who was frantically trying to find the easier way to jump and safe itself.

"**Oh my God…"** She whispered to herself. **"Max..." **She screamed while approaching the fiery staircase.

* * *

><p>Elijah reached the group of his staff, who was standing outside, while noticing that they had placed a blanket on the ground; and gave one to Charles to cover himself with it. He gently lay down Elizabeth body on the blanket, before turning to look at Charles, while putting a hand on his friends left shoulder.<p>

"**Are you ok?"** He asked him.

"**Yes!"** Charles responded to Elijah, while nodding and kneeling near Elizabeth's body, who was gradually regaining consciousness.

"**Where is Miss Katherine?"** A maid asked them, while looking around her.

Elijah and Charles turned to look around, without finding any trance of her.

"**Damn her…She never listens!"** Elijah busted in anger to himself, before running back toward the manor, while hearing Charles telling him to be careful.

* * *

><p>In the unbalance way of things…She could not have been more obvious, she thought, while finding herself on the top of a smaller wall that she had jumped on it a minute earlier, while putting the tip of her boots on its edge, near the fiery staircase.<p>

"**Ok, Max! Come here doggy…."** She screamed to him, while tip toeing her ways to reach the scared dog. **"…You have to jump…Ok, because we don't have a lot of time."** She told the dog, while seeing him, turning on itself in fear.

"**What in hell are you doing back in here?"**

She heard an angry voice asking her, while rolling her eyes on the ceiling.

"**Elijah…It's Max, look!"** She screamed at him, while nodding in direction of the dog.

"**Damn!"** He exclaimed, while noticing the poor dog, and projecting himself away from falling debris from the ceiling. "**Ok…Max, you have to jump buddy!"**

"**He's afraid, Elijah…"** Katherine told him, while keeping her hands on the bottom of the upstairs ramp to keep her balance.

"**Come on buddy, jump!"** Elijah screamed at the dog, while seeing the dog spring toward her, before turning and looking above his head, hearing a loud crack noise, and seeing the entire ceiling fall entirely on them. **"Katerina…"** He screamed at her, before an empty dead silence fill the place.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth raised herself on her feet, keeping her balance while holding Charles's upper arms, before raising her sight in his, in an intense exchange of look.<p>

"**Are you ok?"** He asked her, while caressing one of her cheek, worrying for her good health.

She nodded her head to him, while blushing, and lowering her sight away from his.

"**Mrs. Elizabeth…" **One of the maids said to her, while putting a blanket on her shoulders. **"…Cover yourself; it is cold outside without any coat!"** She said, while smiling at her.

"**Thank you, Juliette…" **She responded to the young maid, while smiling at her, and wrapping herself in the blanket.

Gardie ran toward the group, before putting a hand on Charles shoulders.

"**I finally reached the fire department…they are on their way…"** He said to him, while catching his breathe.

"**Good…"** Charles simply responded to him, while taking a few walking steps, standing in front of the Manor in fire, putting both of his hands on each side of his waist.

"**You are worrying for them, aren't you?"** Elizabeth asked him, while putting a friendly hand on his left arm.

Charles nodded his head to her, while passing a hand on his face.

"**It's been too long…They're not coming back…"** He said to her, while turning and looking at her in the eyes.

A loud noise was suddenly heard by all, making them bend their body in reaction, and in a protection gesture, followed by an intense explosion, with screams, and the awful sight of seeing the mane entrance being closed by debris.

"**Oh my God…" **Elizabeth exclaimed, while raising herself back as her standing position.

"**When is help coming?"** Charles screamed at Gardie.

"**I don't know…Soon…"** Gardie mumbled to him, while rubbing his hands.

"**Move…Move back, walk away from the Manor for your safety!"** Charles screamed at the entire group, while gesturing with his hands to tell them to leave the area. **"Move…"** He screamed at them one last time, before lowering his sight on Elizabeth and saying. **"Go with them!"**

"**No, I'll stay here with you, till I see them coming out safe and sound from the Manor…"** She said to him, with a fiery look in her eyes that was silently saying: "Don't try to tell me other wise".

"**Ok…Then, but you'll have to prepare yourself for what you're about to witness…"** He simply responded to her, before turning to assure himself that the group was far gone, while walking away from the Manor, in the upfront alley.

"**What do you mean, Charles?"** She asked him, while putting a hand on her chest.

"**Step back…"** Charles asked her to do, while pushing her gently away from him, taking walking steps toward the manor, under the night sky, in front of the entrance, before putting his arms on each side on his body, lowering his head, and saying out loud in front of a speechless Elizabeth:

"_**Quod **__**malus **__**in sua **__**viscera **__**audisset **__**copia s**__**reduxit **__**aperiendi**_

_**caelu m**__**tendere**__**r ationempugnae**__**...**__**May **__**moriemini **__**in **__**dolor**__**."**_

Those Latin words were recited, before raising his hands toward the night sky, while opening his eyes in an intense trance, and repeating the same sentence over and over again, with more strength and determination.

"_**Quod **__**malus **__**in sua **__**viscera **__**audisset **__**copia s**__**reduxit **__**aperiendi**_

_**caelu m**__**tendere**__**rationempugnae**__**...**__**May**__**moriemini **__**in **__**dolor**__**."**_

The night sky got suddenly darker, thunders and lightning appeared above the Manor, strong whirlwind came from nowhere, while pushing forcefully Charles, who managed to stay immobile in his standing position, and Elizabeth who bended her upper body to protect herself from the intense wind.

He finally reached a nearer standing position in front of the Manor front entrance, before pushing its hands in front of him, and screaming:

"**Aperie" **

The sky became even darker, and another explosion occurred in front of Elizabeth sight.

* * *

><p>Klaus got out of the car, while slamming the door close behind him, reaching for a small peanuts bag in one of his leather coat pockets, and taking a few walking steps to place himself in top of the hill, raising his right boot on a big rock, keeping his balance with his right arm place on his right knee, while scattering with a look the impeccable view of the estate and Manor in fire.<p>

Elise got out of the car herself, while taking a few walking steps to reach him, raising her coat collar on her face, while looking at Klaus, smirking and throwing his small nuts in his mouth.

"**Now…Don't you find this spectacle absolutely mesmerizing, sweetheart?" **He asked her, while laughing, and looking at the red rising flames in the dark night.

Elise kept quiet, she was keeping her distance from him, he was too unstable, and could easily reached a state of uncontrollable anger with her.

"**What? The cat ate your tongue, Sweet pea?"** He asked her, while raising his stare on her.

She shook her head in negation, before raising her sight on the night sky, hearing thunders and seeing lightening, only above their heads, and directly above the Manor, being hit by a sudden and heavy rain one second later.

Klaus straightened his body in a standing position, before turning his sight on her.

"**What is this? What is happening?"** He asked her, suddenly suspicious of this sudden paranormal activity above their heads, while reaching her standing position.

She swallowed a lump in her throat, before rubbing her hands together, in an attempt of calming her nerves.

"**It must be Charles…"** She replied to him.

"**Who is Charles?"** He asked her, while forcefully grabbing her arms.

"**It's ….It's Elijah's warlock…"** Elise replied to him, while blinking the rain away of her eyes.

"**Why am I only hearing about him, now?"** He angrily asked her.

"**I…I never thought that he could be a problem…He retired from magic many years ago…"** She tried to explain herself to him.

"**He doesn't seem retired to me?"** Kalus screamed in her face, while putting his hands on her throat, and encircling her tender skin. **"Who's he?" **He repeated angrily to her.

"**His name is Charles Brownston...After my mother; he was the most powerful warlock…He stopped magic many years ago…"** She mumbled to him, while trying to catch her breath.

"**How come you very carefully omitted to inform me about him?"** Klaus whispered his mouth near her right ear.

"**Like I said…He stopped magic many years ago, something about him using dark forces..."** She continued explaining to him.

Klaus suddenly raised one of his eyebrows, while looking into her eyes intensively.

"**Go on…"** He said to her, while freeing her of his grip.

"**He used black magic, and had to pay a price for it…It is the only thing that I know…"** She said to him, while keeping Eric a secret for the time being to him…Having leverage against Klaus could be one day her way to safe herself.

Klaus turned his back at her, before directing his sight on the Manor at the horizon, the fire had been completely put to rest by this warlock powers.

"**Interesting…"** He said to her, before putting his hands on each side of his waist, while smiling deviously, adding. **"…Then, we'll have to find what his Achilles' heel is…Won't we? Because I don't want him to interfere between me and my brother in this little war I am having!" **He added while closing his fists in anger.

* * *

><p>It is with relieve that Elizabeth and Charles finally saw Max getting out of the Manor, while barking loudly and happily, and running in their direction, followed by Elijah and Katherine, on its steps, before hearing the fire trucks sirens coming toward the alley of the Manor.<p>

"**Oh…They are alive…"** Elizabeth sighed with pleasure, while putting a hand on Charles forearm that leaped in surprise, while detaching his arm away from her. **"Charles Brownston…"** She said to him, in an angry voice, adding. **"Don't be ashamed of what you just did, what ever it was…You saved them!"**

"**I'm not ashamed of what I just did, I just never wanted for you to witness me that way…"** He replied to her, while putting his hands on each side of his waist.

"**Oh, Miss Katherine…How courageous of you…"** Elizabeth said to her, while reaching her, and smiling, before passing her arms over Katherine's shoulders, and hugging her.

"**Max was stock…"** Katherine said to her, while feeling tears coming in her eyes, adding. **"Are you ok?" **

"**We're fine! Everybody is fine…Except for a maid who's been lightly injured…" **Elizabeth responded to her.

Charles slowly approached Elijah standing position, before pulling him into a hug.

"**Why did you do this?"** Elijah murmured to his friend ears, before hugging him back, adding. **"You said you would never go back to it."**

"**I did what I had to do…"** Charles responded to Elijah, while nodding his head to him, putting a friendly hand on Elijah's left shoulder, before taking a few walking steps away from him.

Elijah turned his sight to look at Katherine, while locking his eyes with hers. She knew better! She could feel that even if they were save and sound, a lot more heartaches had happened tonight. She reached Charles standing position, before putting herself in front of him, with her arms crossed over her chest, while smiling timidly.

"**You're a pain in the ass, Charles Brownston…But you are a pain in the ass that I want to have on my side in days like this one!"** She said, while smirking at him.

"**If it is your delightful way of saying thank you to me, Miss Katherine…"** He replied to her, while smirking back, and raising one of his eyebrows.

"**You bet it is!"** She answered him.

"**Then, you're welcome!"** He answered her, adding. **"Who was it, his brother?" **

Katherine lost her smile, and nodded to him, in silence.

"**It's my fault, I've put everybody in danger…I should have left before…"** She mumbled in her teeth, with anger.

"**None sense!"** Charles responded to her, adding. **"A family always stick together; Miss Katherine…Put that in your pretty little head!" **

Katherine raised her head to look at him in surprise, before smiling back at him, while seeing the fire trucks park in front of the manor, with a couple of ambulances. She needed to carefully disappear before being asked to be medically examined.

"**Go!"** Charles said to her, while nodding his head to her.

* * *

><p>Elijah splashed his soiled face and naked chest with cold, but fresh water, in front of the stable small sink, while trying to erase the fire soot from his skin. He heard Rosemary hooves hitting on the ground of the horse's private stable space.<p>

"**I know sweetheart…It was a hell of a day for me too!"** He said out loud to the horse, while calming her down with his tone of voice, before handing his hand near a hook on the wall, to pick up a towel, when he felt someone at his side handing it to him.

Elijah raised his sight in surprise, while taking the towel from Katherine's hands.

"**Thank you…"** He simply said to her, while passing the fabric on his face and chest.

She turned her sight away from him, while blushing and walking to reach Rosemary, who was passing her head to be caressed by Katherine.

"**Sorry, beautiful, no apple for you, today…"** Katherine said to her, while caressing the horse's head.

"**You spoiled her the time you were here…"** Elijah said to her, with a sarcastic tone of voice, while throwing the towel on the mural hook, and glaring in her direction.

Katherine startled at his mention: _the time you were here_…Meaning: _You had left! _For one strange reason, she could feel that he was beyond angry at the all entire situation, and more so at her.

"**I loved coming here, and giving the horses a little treats in their day…" **She simply responded to him.

"**Well I guess they'll have to do without you and your little treats now that you left…."** He said to her, in a hurtful tone of voice.

"**What is it Elijah…You are full of anger now, because you are blaming me for the fire?"** She lashed out, while turning to look at him. **"You think I don't blame myself? You think I don't feel responsible, because Klaus was after me? And at the same time…Do you know how much and how many times, I was hurt in the past because of you damn family, and brother….Not to mention that you weren't a saint either!" **She added while screaming at him.

"**You should know something yourself, about not being a saint, Katerina…Not like it was only heartaches with my brother, you had your little fun on the side at some point with Klaus!"** He lashed out back at her, in a deviously and hurtful way, while tilting his head to confront her.

Katherine startled one more time, while raising her chin to show that she would not bend in front of him.

"**It gives you thrill to be that hurtful to me, doesn't it? Because you're in your **_**macho-Viking -I'm not in this freaking century state of mind**_**…Let just be mean, and after you'll feel better for the fire, and the fact that a woman stood up in front of you and had the audacity of leaving you!" **She screamed at his face, while gesturing her own anger with her hands, adding.** "I came only to tell you that everybody had left the premises, Charles left a while ago to drive Elizabeth, and they took Max….The inspectors should come tomorrow to see the damage made to your Manor, if ever that interest you…Now have a nice life, and go to hell!"** She replied to him, while storming out of the stable, before being retain by a firm grip on her right arm, and pushed on the stable wall.

Elijah hold both of her hands on the wall above her head, while pushing his body on Katherine's to hold her still, which she did not give him the satisfaction of staying immobile, by squirming herself underneath him like a snake.

"**What is it, Katerina…Too much adrenaline inside of you, that you need to get out of you system, maybe you are trying to find a way for me to calm you down, sweetheart, or better, maybe you want to leave again, because usually leaving, and be on the run…like you did all your pathetic vampire life, gives you so much pleasure!"** He whispered angrily to her, at a near inch of her mouth, while fixating her lips.

"**Go to hell, Elijah…I think it's the other way around, **_**Mister I'll leave for four months and come back as a king!**_** Poor you, no more mistress at your disposal, because, the one you had basically left you dry earlier by ditching you and leaving, and also…no more bitchy girlfriend Elise to fulfil your anger with sex perhaps?" **Katherine lashed out in his face.

They stare at each other with pure angry fever inside of them, before Elijah finally crashed his mouth on hers. She kept her mouth close, while squirming more under him to free herself from his powerful imposition to become submissive to him. He forcefully forced her to open her lips, while sliding his tongue between them, taking possession of her mouth while deepening his kiss and interlacing his tongue with hers. She was finally able to raise her knee and hitting him where no man would ever want to be hit, with all the strength she got in her. He groaned loudly before letting her go.

"**I can't believe you went so low…"** He mumbled to her, while bending his upper body, to help him lower the pain.

"**Feel lucky, it was that, or literally castrate you!"** She screamed at him, angrier than ever.

"**If I was you, Katherine…I would take this time to run!"** He angrily responded to her, while raising his head to look at her.

"**Wooo….I'm so damn scare…And in top of it, you called me **_**Katherine**_**, you must be really angry, Master Elijah!" **She added to him, while bending herself near him and saying sarcastically: **"Does it hurt, still?"**

"**Enough!"** They both heard a voice screaming loudly at them.

They turned to witnessed Charles standing position in the entrance of the stable with both of his hands on each side of his waist, and an angry expression on his face.

"**You think you are the only one to be in that state of anger? You think that I, Elizabeth and all the staff are not deeply affected by all of this? Well you think wrong!" **He continued screaming at them. **"Now, stop being so childish, and act like adult for once in your life…We won't be able to stay in the Manor tonight…Even if technically the west wind or the employees quarter was not under fire…I booked three bedrooms in the local hotel…Roger is waiting in front of the garage to bring you there, Gardie will stay awake to look at the horses."** He added to them, before leaving them speechless and ashamed in front of each other in the stable.

Yes, indeed, a sad veil of sadness had definitely taken a place in the Manor on this day, but Charles Brownston would not let it get the best of him.

* * *

><p>Thanking all of my readers for your awesome PM's and reviews received, I'm starting to know each of you better…and I really appreciate exchanging with you all (smile).<p>

Please take good note that the next chapter will come later, I have to go back to my two other stories now. **Thank you for understanding**. Now, because it will come later, and I know how much you all love this story, I thought of a fun way to introduce a contest to it:

**CONTEST SEXY SCENE IN JAMAICA**

Easy! You are sending me a PM with a choice of a context of smutty scene that you would like to read in my next chapter that will be call: **Viva Jamaica**.

As an example:

**Elijah & Katherine on a boat…**

**Elijah & Katherine fishing…**

**Elijah & Katherine on the beach…**

Go as wild as you want with you ideas, I am just asking you to choose something that would make sense, and be logical with the story and the setting. I will take note of all the choices received and the names or member appellations, and I will put it on individual pieces of paper, and pick one as a drawing on **Sunday January 21****st**. (One choice by person)

In my writer's note in the beginning of my next chapter, I will announce the name of the person who won.

**Next chapter: **Viva Jamaica!


	14. Viva Jamaica

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**- Lovely Vero - **

**Writer's note****: **_Jamaica _my dear readers! Yippy (LOL)…Sorry for the over the top excitement – But I've been dreaming of this part of the story…since ever! It will be set for certainly 2 to 3 chapters. If you are not cracking a smile or a laugher in this chapter, then I did not do my job correctly! So nice to see the main trio so relax, if even for a short moment! ;)

It was the biggest joy writing this chapter, I've traveled a lot in the Caribbean, and also had in the past, two work contracts there…Let me tell you that every part of my past deep feelings and love for the Caribbean islands were in this chapter, and will be in the other chapters as well. I left the heavy stuff out of this one…because I wanted it to be a lighter – funnier – sexier, chapter…Enjoy!

**Music inspiration**: Shake Senora / T-Pain, Pitbull & Sean Paul – I shot the sheriff & Red red wine / Bob Marley

**Winner of the contest****: **ILoveMyCookiesII – Congrats to you, _Rebecca_!

**Idea****: **Elijah & Katherine on a roof top (or) beach.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

**VIVA JAMAICA **

**- PART 1 - **

* * *

><p><em><strong>London - Airport, 12:30 p.m.<strong>_

"**Do I really have to drag you behind me like a child? You are acting like a spoil brat, Katherine?" **Elijah asked her, while dragging her reticent self beside him, with a firm grip on her right forearm, along the terminal corridors of the London Airport.

"**If you could get your hand off my arm, and let me have a bit of dignity by letting me walk normally by your side and not pulling me like a slave, I would certainly appreciated more!"** She lashed out at him, while trying to squirm herself away from him.

"**Now, wait…**_slave_** you said? It has a nice ring to it actually…"** He repeated to her, while stopping his walking pace and slowly turning to look at her in the eyes. **"That could be considered…"** He added sarcastically, while tilting his head to look at her, with a big smirk on his face.

"**Go to hell!"** She murmured to him, while approaching her face at a near inch of his, making him cracked a smirk even bigger than his last.

"**No, not hell…But another destination…"** He replied to her, while forcefully putting her hand in his, and continuing to walk and dragging her along, creating a mix range of sensation of anger and pleasure, while feeling his fingers interlacing with hers, and shivers hitting her entire body.

"**Damn you, Elijah!"** She angrily mumbled to him, while resentfully keeping her walking pace beside him, and sighting from time to time at their joined hands, feeling an intense fire reaching her cheeks. Gosh! She hated not being in control of her emotions with him… **"Where are we going anyway?"** She asked again, making him smirk one more time.

"**You never give up, do you, Katherine?"** He asked her, to which she pulled her tongue to him**. "Give up…"** He continued saying: **"…acting like a child!"**

"**I like to have my own freedom, Elijah…You should understand that…You are far worst than I am when your own freedom is at stake!"** She responded to him, while noticing the appreciative smiles of women, who were looking at him in the airport. He was wearing a designer jeans, with top quality brown leather shoes, a black polo t-shirt, and a top class leather blazer, looking perfectly relaxed and polished at the same time, and she could not stop glaring at him, like a stupid teenager girl…Though all things consider, that faultless way of dressing himself, with the most exquisite clothes, was very delightful for her eyes.

"**Perhaps, but I am not the one who's been tailed by my brother at the present moment, and who the life is in danger, immortal and all…" **He replied, while looking a short moment in her direction, and taking a small VIP corridor to a private room, before pushing a door, and entering a lounge room, filled with calm and cozy feeling, comfortable leather arm chair, a modern futurist bar, and what seemed to be top class restrooms for the most outstanding VIP customers.

Elijah let go of her hand, while nodding to her to follow him, and taking a few walking steps to reach the bar and the barmaid standing behind it.

"**Welcome sir, Madam." **The top class barmaid said to them, while nodding his head.** "What can I serve **_you_** and **_your wife_**?" **He added to them, with the biggest smile, making them both startled at the mention, and turning their heads at the same time toward the noise of a loud laugh coming from a passenger who was wearing a very sophisticated Fedora hat, and reading his newspaper while sitting on one of the leather arm chair.

"**Two glasses of white wine, please…" **Elijah responded with amusement to the barmaid, while seeing Katherine take a few walking steps toward the passenger, and pulling the newspaper away from his hands.

"**I knew it was you!"** Katherine busted at Charles Brownston, while seeing him covering his mouth with his hand to retain his hilarity. **"What is so funny, **_Charlie_**?"** She asked him, while angrily crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**Oh, Miss Katherine…" **He said to her, with a fake astonished look on his face, while crossing his arms in front of his English winter coat, adding.** "How completely unexpected to see you in this airport of all places…As for my amusement, I was reading the comic section of my English newspaper when you so delightfully pulled it away from my hands. And at that moment, I realized that my beautiful and peaceful day just took a turn for the worst! "**

"**You knew all along that we were leaving and you probably know where?"** Katherine continued lashing at him.

"**Well…Miss Katherine, are you accusing me of hiding information from you?" **Charles asked her, while tilting his head and looking at her falsely innocent.

"**Madam, your husband asked me to bring this glass of wine to you…He added that this will help you relax…"** The barmaid said to her, while respectfully bending in front of her and handing the glass on a platter, making Charles giggled even more.

"**Thank you….But he is not…"** Katherine started responding to the man, while taking the glass of wine, and before being cut in her sentence.

"**Oh sweetheart…No need to bother this nice man…"** Elijah sarcastically said to her, while very sliding his hand on her back, around her waist, and kissing her right cheek**. "Thank you!"** He added to the barmaid, while sliding very discreetly a bill in his hands, and taking a sitting position near Charles, while taking himself a complimentary newspaper in his hands.

"**Thank you sir…"** The man responded, before walking back toward the bar.

"**I want to know where we're going…Assuming that you are bringing your warlock ass with us!"** Katherine continued to angrily ask Charles.

"**Well, Miss Katherine, I, for myself wanted to know why I can't ever get peace while reading my morning newspaper, but unfortunately, God was not willing to explain his reasons to me…"** Charles responded to her, while seeing Elijah cracking a smile behind his newspaper.

"**Fine…You'll be doing this trip without me then, Gentlemen…"** She screamed at both of them, before turning on herself, while hitting the high heels of her boots on the floor with anger, and walking toward the exit door of the lounge room.

Charles raised one of his eyebrows, while smirking at Elijah, seeing him closed his eyes and shaking his head, before hearing him say in a calmer voice than what he was feeling:

"**If I was you Katherine, I would think hard before passing this door. I swear, I will bring your beautiful ass back here, and will carry you in that plane on my shoulders if I have to do it…Your damn choice woman!" **Elijah said to her, making her hold her hand on the door handle, while closing her eyes, and grinning at his saying.

"**Now…"** Charles said, while taking his newspaper back in his hands. **"…Suddenly, this day is looking brighter to me!"** He added in laughter, before seeing Katherine turning back on herself, to seat beside them, with the biggest pout on her face.

"**I don't even know if I need warm clothes or not?"** She mumbled in her teeth**. "I was not allowed to make my own luggage, because this **_cavern man_** took care of everything!"** She continued rambling in anger, while pointing a finger at Elijah.

Elijah lowered his newspaper, rolled his eyes, and exchanged a rapid look with Charles who seemed amused by the temper scene that Katherine was giving in front of them.

"**Master Elijah, unfortunately, I could not even be of any help in this situation…"** He said very politely to him, with a smirk on his face.

"**Sirs, Madam, we'll be boarding the first class, in a very short moment…"** A tall, blond, and beautiful stewardess said, while approaching them, and glaring a little more than necessary in direction of Elijah, before heading back to her boarding desk.

"**Thank you!" **Elijah said to her, with a seductive smile, before saying to Katherine. **"Fine…We'll be landing in Jamaica, Katherine…"** Elijah said to her, while closing his newspaper, and putting it on a small coffee table. **"…I have a small estate on the Island."** He added to her, before turning to look at her, and finding an empty space on the leather arms chair. **"Where is she?"** He asked to Charles, with an open mouth, while looking frantically everywhere for her.

"**I believe that Miss Katherine is already in line in front of the boarding gate that will be heading to Jamaica, and she is smiling…Thank you God, for a little bit of peace!"** Charles replied to him, while holding his need to burst into laughter, making Elijah smile. **"You could have told her before, and spare us the agony of her whining, why, oh why?"**

"**Well….I could have, but what fun would it be for me then?"** Elijah sarcastically replied to Charles, while smirking and winking at him, raising himself on his feet to reach Katherine's standing position.

* * *

><p><em>Chester City, One week after the fire, 3 days prior their departure<em>

_In front of Elijah's Manor_

The manor's staff members parked their cars in the upfront alley, while walking silently to reach a meeting spot, near the fountain, in front of the burned Manor.

It was a blue sky, sunny and mild winter day. The chirping of the birds in the trees was filling the quiet conversation and greetings among the groups of individuals, who were standing side by side.

Elizabeth reached herself the group, while smiling and giving greetings to them, before reaching Charles's standing position, before nodding to him, and standing beside him, while sadly taking at the Manor.

"**How are you?"** She whispered to him, while turning her head to look at him, adding. **"I was worried about you, Mister Charles…Since…Well, since the other night, and…" **

"**I'm good, Elizabeth…How are you? How's Max?"** Charles asked her, while avoiding looking at her in the eyes, and trying to change the conversation.

"**Oh, that dog is adorable…And Max seems happy for the time being with the children and…"** She said to him, while holding her sentence for a short moment, and lowering her head, before adding. **"…That dog presence is filling a big empty space in the children's heart for now, till I hope, very soon, Max will come back to his real home!" **

Charles turned his head and looked at her, while lowering it a moment after, and keeping his silence. Katherine walked to reach them, while kissing Gardie on the cheek on her way, which was standing near the maids, and squeezing his hand in silence.

"**Elizabeth…"** Katherine greeted her, while putting a hand on her right forearm, and smirking while adding. _"__**Charlie**__…"_

To which, Charles replied in a mocking tone of voice: "**Miss Katherine…"**

"**Miss Katherine! It's so nice to see you…"** Elizabeth replied, while smiling at her, and putting her left hand in top of hers. **"How are you holding up?" **She added to her, to which Katherine shrugged her shoulders.

"**It is sad to look at it…More so that I've caused this all mess…"** Katherine said to Elizabeth, while giving a glare at the burned Mansion in front of her.

"**It is not your fault, Miss Katherine…"** Charles said to her, while turning his sight on her, and tilting his head, adding. **"…Stop blaming yourself for it! It gives nothing to the end result!" **

"**No, of course it is not…"** Elizabeth approved, while putting her right arm around Katherine's shoulders. **"It's the wicked actions of a troubled and bad man, Miss Katherine…Never blame yourself for this"** Elizabeth added while shaking her head in negation to her, to which Katherine smiled timidly back, at her.

"**How's Max?"** Katherine asked Elizabeth.

"**A happy dog, surrounded with children's love…"** Elizabeth replied to her, with a small laughter.

"**He's here?"** Charles asked Katherine.

"**He went to see the horses in the stable…"** Katherine replied to him.

"**Where are you going to live after, Miss Katherine?"** Elizabeth asked her. **"You can be thinking of leaving England now, or thinking of living in a hotel for ever? You are more than welcome to come live with me and my children, for the time being…" **She told her, while seeing Katherine shaking her head in negation.

"**He told me we'll leave soon" **She told Elizabeth, while shrugging her shoulders.** "I even don't have any choices in the subject, or, the right to speak my say…He's watching my every move, even when I go to the restroom, he is behind me!" **Katherine said to them, with an angry tone of voice, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, in a protest gesture.

Elizabeth turned he head and smiled at Charles, who was smirking himself at Katherine outrage.

"**Oh….Miss Katherine, Master Elijah only wants to protect you the best way he can, you should not be resentful to him for that…"** Elizabeth told her, while shaking her head in negation and smiling at her.

Katherine took a few steps to reach Charles standing position, seeing him keep his stare in front of him, with his chin elevated toward the sky, while not giving her the time of the day. She raised her right hand on his crossed arms in front of his chest, before making her fingers softly sliding and caressing the fabric of his coat sleeves.

"**No…"** He said to her, without even knowing the reason why she was seductively playing with him, to her devious advantages.

"**But, **_Charlie Poo Poo_**…I'm sure you most know what the **_big__boss_** intentions are, and where he wants to bring me, aren't you?" **Katherine said to him, whit a sad pout on her face, while raising her fingers on his upper arms. **"And, I promise I won't repeat it to him, if you tell me…I **_**Pinky swear**_**!"** Katherine added to him, while beating her eyelashes to him, making Elizabeth put a hand on her mouth, to stop her giggling.

"**Elizabeth, do you think it is a **_robin _**bird on the tree branch in front on the Manor?"** Charles asked her, while totally ignoring the manipulative and seductive ways of persuasion from Katherine.

"**Well…"** Elizabeth answered to him, with a small laughing tone in her voice. **"I believe it is a robin bird, Mister Charles…And a beautiful one!" **

"**Grrr…." **Katherine angrily mumbled in her teeth, while detaching herself from Charles, and stamping her foot on the parking asphalt, before crossing her arms angrily in front of her chest. **"I thought you were my friend?"** She, in a last attempt of persuasion, asked him, with false teary eyes.

"**Well, Miss Katherine, I did not see the announcement of our friendship in the morning newspaper…So, you must be mistaken..."** He responded to her, while smirking, and winking at Elizabeth.

"**You're impossible…" **She replied to him, while turning her sight to the Manor, and seeing Elijah walking toward the small group, before stopping in front of them, creating a death silence in the group at his arrival.

"**Thank you for coming…"** He started addressing himself to the group who was standing in from of him, before lowering his head for a second and rubbing his gloves hands together, making Katherine be affected by his turmoil…He was a proud man, and was feeling sad and ashamed by this situation…But, he was putting his own feelings aside, and was not thinking of himself at this moment, his priority was his employees, and Katherine was extremely touched by his unselfishness present actions.

"**After the inspection, I was told that the fire damaged nearly seventy percent of the square footage of the Manor." **He added to them, hearing the exclamation of surprises and sadness among the people present in front of him, before continuing "**The part who was the less damaged was the kitchen, and the staff quarter….Nevertheless, I decided to re-build entirely the Manor…This house is my home, and for a lot of you…It is yours also!" **He announced to them, with the biggest smile on his face, while locking his eyes with Katherine's, before seeing her lowered her head and blushing.

All the employees started to scream and jumped around, while hugging each other, cheering their joy, before being stopped and asked to listen with a hand gesture form his part.

"**The re-construction will take place in the next six weeks…A team will be present night and day, while efficiently and rapidly re-build the Manor, during that period, you'll be fully compensated with the entirety of your weekly salary."** He announced to them, hearing more cheering and hands clapping a second later, adding. **"Now…I perfectly know that this past recent fire event had put all of your lives in danger and …I would fully understand if you would want to resign of your present job position. If this is the case, you will be compensated with a very generous departure check!" **He said to them, whilewaiting for their answers.

Elizabeth looked around while exchanging smiles with the employees present, before taking a few walking steps in front of her, joining her hands in front of her chest, and saying:

"**Mister Elijah, I will talk on the behalf of everybody present in front of you today. We all agreed that it is a joy to work for you in this wonderful Manor…And none of us want to leave our present work position, therefore, you'll have to endure all of us a little bit longer…Because, we'll be all by your side when the Manor will be re-opening its door!" **Elizabeth proudly said to him, before hearing cheering and hands clapping coming from the entire staff group present in front of him.

"**Thank you…"** He said to all of them, while being touched by their dedication, before turning his sight in direction of Katherine, to smile at her.

"**I'm glad for you!"** She whispered honestly to him, to which he nodded his head to her.

* * *

><p>A wall of intense heat took them by surprise while getting out of the plane and walking to the footbridge, before taking the steel stairs to reach the land, after so many hours of flight. Katherine walked on the landing strip toward the small customs entrance of the airport, before stopping her pace, and reaching to take a hair clip inside of her big boho leather bag, before raising her long curly hair in top of her head, in a bun, while turning to look at Elijah, who had stopped himself to get rid of his leather jacket, while holding it on his shoulders with one finger.<p>

"**JA-MA-ICA, baby…"** Katerine said to him, swinging her bottom in tempo rhythm from right to left in front of his eyes, while making Elijah smiled; she was beyond cute when she wanted to be!

"**Katherine, stop swinging your ass this way!"** Elijah said to her, in a mocking tone of voice, while putting one of his hands on her right hip, to hold her movements.

She approached him, further more, before putting her hands on his chest, while continuing to swing her bottom on a silent beat in her head and starting singing:

"_I shot__the sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy_**….Bob Marley, and Jamaica Baby!" **

Elijah smiled at her. He had never seen her so free and happy the last few weeks. She returned his smile, before taking a look behind Elijah, at Charles, who was directing his walking steps toward their standing position, while noticing the most atrocious tropical, short sleeves shirt, on him, and with on his head, a man straw hat.

"**What in hell are you wearing?"** Katherine asked Charles, while bursting into loud laugher, and bending her body upfront, holding her stomach to stop hurting from the laugh contractions.

Elijah turned on himself, and took a quick glance at Charles, before bursting into laughter himself.

"**Charles, what are you wearing, for heaven sake?"** Elijah asked him, while trying to hide his hilarity, by putting a hand in front of his mouth.

"**Well…I am so sorry, Master Elijah, if I did not dress properly to your taste and obviously neither to the taste of Miss Katherine…"** Charles replied to him, while giving a mad look in her direction, which he rapidly noticed that she could not stop laughing at this point. **"…But I thought this was a proper dress code for a tropical destination!" **He added to Elijah, while nodding his head.

"**In the 80' maybe…" **Katherine responded to Charles, while continuing to laugh out loud.

"**Master Elijah, Please…I beg you, make her stop!"** Charles asked to Elijah, while rolling his eyes, and holding his carry on, and trench coat in his hands.

"**I'm sorry, Charles."** Elijah replied to him, while lowering his head a short moment, to retain his laughter. **"You look fine…It is at best, very bright and colourful…" **Elijah said to him, while looking at his man shirt.** "…My only concern is to become blind from looking at it!" **He added to him, while laughing even more.

"**Oh stop, please!" **Katherine asked him, in continuous laugher, while doing a high five with Elijah, who was laughing as much.

"**Oh, how nice, Master Elijah…you are, now, both of you mocking me, like two young children…and I believe that I have reached a new level of hell…If this was even possible…It was obviously not enough that I had to come in a hot tropical country, when I can't basically stand the heat, and that I will probably be bitten by an army of mosquitoes, and how can I forgot, the pure joy of looking like a lobster in a short amount of days…But more so, to be in the charming company of Miss Katherine 24 hours a day…I believe my life is now complete!"** Charles mumbled angrily in his teeth, while passing beside them, and walking to reach the airport custom entrance door.

"_Charlie_**? Don't be like that…" **Katherine screamed at him, while walking beside Elijah, who was shaking his head and smirking. **"We love your shirt, we swear!" **She added to him, in laughter.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Oniel…"<strong> Elijah called a Rastafarian Jamaican man, while passing the exit sliding door of the airport, approaching the said man, and handing his right hand to him, before hugging him, with Katherine and Charles on his footsteps.

"**My man…Maassster Elijaaaaahhhh…It's been too damn long!" **The man responded to him, with a vivid Jamaican accent, while returning his hug.

"**Yes, it's been too long…"** Elijah responded, with a smile, to Oniel. **"…Everything is in order?" **

"**Yes, Yes…Of course my man, you know…In here, we take it easy, no need to over stress…"** The man responded to him, adding. **"…The estate and the house are fine, the last hurricane did a bit of damage…but, we took care of it!" **

"**How's Thamika?"** Elijah asked him.

"**Aww you know, Thamika is Thamika…Always screaming all day long on the rare man specimen that I am…Pfff…"** The man responded to Elijah, while rolling his eyes, and showing a disapproval hand gesture, before looking suddenly at Katherine, taking a few walking steps to reach her, while adding. **"Thamika is my fifth wife! And who's this angel who had suddenly fallen from the blue tropical sky?"**

"**Oniel, I present you Katherine Pierce…" **Elijah said to the Jamaican man.** "…And, standing beside her, Mister Charles Browston, my butler in chief back in England, and a good friend of mine…They'll stay with me at the estate." **

"**Pleasure, Oniel…" **Katherine said to the man, with a sarcastic smile.

"**Pleasure is all mine, tropical princess…"** Oniel responded to her, while taking her left hand in his, and hand kissing it longer than necessary, before turning his sight to Charles, while opening his eyes widely. **"Nice shirt my man….But no need to scare the elephants in here, there are none in Jamaica!" **He added to Charles, who closed his eyes, and shake his head in disbelief, making Elijah and Katherine turn their own heads, to hide their amusement.

Oniel asked all of them to follow him, while pushing a luggage cart, with their all their bags on it, toward a near parked jeep, before opening the car trunk, throwing their luggage inside, and launching the car keys to Elijah.

"**Ready for a wild car ride, Master…"** Oniel sarcastically asked him.

"**Always…"** Elijah responded to him, with a smirk on his face, before taking place on the driver seat of the jeep, while taking a quick glimpse in his mirror to see Katherine and Charles, taking their sitting position on their passenger seats.

"**What do you exactly mean by a wild car ride?"** Charles asked Oniel, while pushing his straw hat up in the air to help him see better.

"**My man if I was you, I would take off your hat from your head!" **Oniel said to Charles, with a small laugh.

"**We're heading where exactly…"** Katherine asked Elijah, while watching him put the key to start the engine.

"**Were heading toward **_Clark Town_**, then we'll turn in direction of the ocean…I have a small estate there, with a private beach…You'll like it, Katherine."** He said to her, while glaring and smiling at her in the mirror, while slowly getting out of the Airport parking.

"**You like Bob Marley, tropical princess?"** Oniel asked Katherine, while sliding an old tape, and raising his arms in the air, to follow the beat of "_Red Red Wine__**"**_.

"**I adore Bob Marley…" **Katherine responded to Oniel, while raising her arms in the air also, and singing the lyrics. **"You should sing with us, **_Charlie_**…" **

"**Yes, how lovely that would be…" **Charles responded to her, in a mocking tone of voice, while rolling his eyes. **"…And we could also hold hands at the same time!"** He added sarcastically, while grinning and seeing Katherine passing her tongue at him.

Elijah took the main route, before raising his sight in the mirror and say to Charles.

"**Charles, get your hat off of your head…" **

"**Why? Isn't it some kind of speed limit on the Island?" **He asked Elijah.

"**Some kind of what…Speed limit?"** Oniel repeated with a loud laughter, while turning to look at Elijah, who was smirking himself. **"Man…Maassterr Eliiijahhh, your friend is hilarious!"**

"**Hang in there!" **Elijah screamed, before pushing his feet to the max on the speed pedal, making the jeep front wheels raise in the air, while Charles's hat fly away, before landing on Katherine thighs.

"**Your hat, **_**Charlie Poo Poo**_**…"** She mockingly said to him, while handing it to him, and raising her hands in the air, before screaming from the top of her lungs: **"Wooooooo!"**

* * *

><p>The small, isolated, estate near the beach was breath taking by its beauty! A small ground alley, with palm lined, and bushes tropical flowers led them in front of a two floor, English colonial style, white and blue, tropical mansion.<p>

Oniel got out of the jeep first, before screaming from the top of his lungs:

"**Thamika! Woman! Master is here…Where are you?" **He said, while placing himself in front of the front door, standing with both of his hands placed on each side of his waist.

Elijah, Katherine and Charles got out of the jeep, while exchanging amused glances.

"**Why are you screaming this way, Oniel…You think I am deaf or something?" **A Jamaican, curved woman replied to him, while appearing on the porch, and pointing a finger at him, before wiping her hands on her apron, turning her sight on the visitors, and exclaiming with an open mouth, before running toward Elijah: **"Oh, my master, my master, my master…" **

"**Wow!" **Katherine said to him, while shaking her head in disbelief, and crossing her arms in front of her chest, before adding.** "There is actually a woman on this earth who is worshipping you!" **

"**Katherine…Behave!" **He responded to her, before hugging the Jamaican woman in his arms, and adding with a big smile on his face. **"Thamika…It's been too long!" **

"**You said it, Master…" **She replied while hugging him back, before striking him with her kitchen towel, one second later.** "And that is absolutely unacceptable! You promise the last time you came that you would come back more often in the future!" **She added to him, in a mad tone of voice, leaving Katherine and Charles, mouths and eyes open.

"**Can you forgive me, Thamika?" **Elijah asked her, while making poppy eyes.

"**Ohhh…Who could refuse a face like this one, Master…No woman could!" **Thamika responded to him, while gently slapping one of his cheeks, and turning her attention to Katherine. "**Where are my manners? Who is this lovely woman, Master?"**

"**Thamika, let me present to you, Katherine Pierce and Charles Brownston…" **Elijah said to her, with a hand gesture.

"**Welcome to Jamaica, Miss Katherine and Mister Charles…"** Thamika told them, with an enthusiastic hand shake.

"**Nice to meet you, Thamika…"** Charles said to the woman, while shaking her hand.

"**Nice shirt!"** Thamika replied to him, with a sarcastic smile, while opening her eyes widely at the sight of the fabric, before turning on herself and walking toward the house, saying: **"I prepared one of my special shrimps Jamaican dish…Come, come inside, you must be tired after your long trip…And mister Charles? Maybe you want to change before eating?"** She sarcastically said, making Elijah and Katherine hold their laughter one more time, before seeing Thamika addressing herself to Oniel, with both of her hands placed on each side of her hips, and a mad expression on her face. **"What are you doing there, while not moving a finger? Trying to catch flies? Move! Enter the luggage!"** She screamed at her husband, while seeing a recalcitrant Oniel moving slowly toward the jeep trunk.

"**This woman…We'll be the death of me!"** He said to them, while nodding his head.

"**I thought it was the previous ones?"** Elijah responded mockingly to him, while taking his leather jacket in his hands, and pushing Katherine in front of him, with one hand on her waist.

"**The previous ones were a pain in my ass, Master, but this one…Wooooow! She is giving me migraines!"** He mockingly answered Elijah, while shaking his hands and his head from right to left, with laughter.

"**I need to feed, Elijah…"** Katherine whispered to him, while approaching her lips of his right ear, before stopping her walking steps toward the entrance of the house, and putting her right hand on his chest, before realizing her gesture, locking her eyes with Elijah's, and blushing slightly.

"**Inside…We'll have everything that we need."** Elijah responded to her, in a whisper, while keeping his stare in hers more than necessary, nodding and caressing very slowly her waist line, where her tank top was showing enough skin for him to do so, before confirming with a smile. **"They know, Katherine…No need to worry, it is also my home here, you can relax…"**

* * *

><p>Katherine was leaning her body on the white outdoor ramp, standing on the big patio, in front of the ocean, watching the sunset, feeling the wind on her face, blowing her hair, while smelling the salty air of the sea. She was wearing one of the long sundress that she had found in her luggage, in a lovely shade of orange, was bare feet, with her sunglasses placed in top of her head. You can leave it to Elijah, to have impeccable taste for dressing a woman, that was certainly a given for that man.<p>

She slowly turned her head, before noticing him at the far end of the patio. _"Damn he is sexy"_, she thought to herself, while blushing and turning her head to look at the beach. He was watching her, and slowly walking to reach her standing position. He had took a shower, his hair were still wet, and scattered all over the place. He had changed his clothes also; he was now wearing a light beige, almost white, cargo pants, that he had rolled the bottom edges on his calves, with on top, a whiter than white shirt, that he had left on top of his pants, rolled the sleeves on his upper arms, and opened the buttons on his muscular chest, and he was also bear feet.

God! With this tropical setting, and his way of looking incredibly hot…She was wondering how she could resist the temptation to be intimate with him. But she needed to keep her head and thoughts as cold as ice. Since the fire, things had been kind of awkward between them.

She timidly smiled at him, before turning back her sight toward the beach and ocean.

"**It's beautiful…." **She simply said to him, while nodding her head.

"**Yes…"** He replied to her, while leaning his back on the ramp, and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

But, what was really beautiful to Elijah was the sight of her at this present moment. The rays of the sunset were illuminating her face, strands of her beautiful curly hair were scattering and flying in the wind, her bare skin was glowing, and showing up her lower naked back, her round and perfect breasts were stretching in a perfect way the front fabric of the dress. He had to close his eyes to forbid himself to touch her at this moment.

"**Master Elijah!"** They heard Oniel calling him, from the pathway, on the right side of the house. **"Thamika and I, we're heading back home, Master…She left you fresh salad fruits for this evening, as snacks…And you know where to find the red elixir?" **He added, while winking at Elijah.** "And one more thing if Mister Charles needs to go shopping for new shirts…I am available to drive him to town tomorrow…Because, he could seriously scare someone…Man, that shirt is ugly!" **He said, with a hand gesture.

"**Thank you, Oniel…" **Elijah responded, while laughing, and hearing Katherine burst into laughter at his side.** "I'll give him your message….Have a nice evening with Thamika!" **

"**Ok master, see you tomorrow…Good night, tropical princess!" **Oniel said, while waiving at them.

"**Good night, Oniel!"** Katherine responded to the Jamaican man, while waiving back at him. **"They are nice!"** She added to Elijah.

"**Yes…They are good people…"** Elijah responded to her, with a smile.

"**How…"** Katherine started asking to him.

"**Oniel was attacked by a shark, many years ago…I was near the ocean at that moment, and therefore the accident…I saved him with my blood…Nothing humanly possible, could have forbid his death to happen at that point in time…"** Elijah started explaining to her, with his hands placed in both of his pants pockets. **"…Since then, he decided that he would owe his life to me…And, he took care of this estate and house, with along the way, in his life, a bunch of different wives…Thamika is his true soul mate, though…They've been together the longest." **

Katherine nodded to him, with a smile, before turning her sight to the sea and asking:

"**What are we really doing here, Elijah?"** Katherine asked him, before quickly glaring at him; she needed to find out what his plans toward Klaus were? By any means necessary…Even seducing him, if she needed to do so! Though, for one strange reason, she felt strange about it…Usually, she always find that way of handling man, the best way to obtain what she wanted…But nothing was easy about Elijah…And, most of the time, he was seeing right through her.

"**Relaxing…Remembering that even if life hit you hard, there are still beautiful things in the world that need to be appreciated…Cultures, countries, beauty of nature…"** He replied to her, while shrugging his shoulders.

"**You're right…"** Katherine responded to him, while shrugging her own shoulders. **"…But, I meant, why here? What are your plans, Elijah?" **

"**The Manor is under rebuilding construction for several weeks to come…I thought this would be the best get away to forget the England winter…" **He said to her, while nodding his head, and looking at the beach**. "…And, it will give a bit of harder time for my brother to find us..."** He added to her, while glaring at the ocean.

Katherine turned his head to look at Elijah's profile, while studying his facial expressions. He seemed relaxed, and in control, nothing was showing.

"**I'm so sorry, Elijah…"** Katherine truthfully said to him, adding. **"…It was never my intention to brought all this misery on the Manor's staff, Charles, Elizabeth….**_and you_**."** She added, the last word in a low whisper, making him turned his head to look at her with surprise.

"**My family gave you enough turmoil in the past, Katherine…You don't need to feel sorry!"** He responded to her, while timidly smiling back at her.

"**Then, I am sorry for hitting you the last time in the stable…"** She said to him, while holding her laughter.

"**Mm…You are sorry, are you?"** He sarcastically replied to her, while narrowing his eyes and staring at her, adding**. "Why am I not able to believe you entirely? If I had been a human man, you would have castrated me for life!" **

"**Good thing you're not human then, and that everything is still in place where it should be, and when you will need it again…" **She, mockingly and seductively, replied to him, while smirking and raising one of her eyebrows.

"**Are you mocking me, young lady?"** He asked her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**What if I am, what are you going to do about it?"** She asked him, with a devious smile on her face, while taking a few steps backward.

"**Are you challenging me, Katherine?"** He asked her, while taking a few, calculated, walking step toward her.

"**Maybe…"** She responded to him, before turning on herself, taking a few walking steps on the stairs, that was separating her from the beach, and starting to run on the sand in direction of the sea, while raising her skirt in her right hand, and giggling none stop, before feeling two strong hands encircling her waist, pulling her back in full contact with his chest, before seeing Elijah put his right hand under her knees, and raising her, two seconds later, in his arms, while turning in spirals.

"**That's not fair!"** Katherine responded to Elijah, while keeping her balance by putting both of her hands on his shoulders, before encircling her arms around his neck, feeling his muscles tighten under her fingers, and adding in laughter. **"You totally cheated, Elijah…" **

"**I totally did not…" **He responded to her, while shaking his head, and bursting into laughter with her. **"…You started the game, Katherine, you always do…I don't even know if you are realizing it…You run, and then you want to be chase…" **He added, while smiling at her, and locking his eyes in hers. **"…When will you stop running?"**

Katherine blushed, while keeping her eyes in his, sliding one of her hand in his hair to grab it, and slowly approaching her face from his.

"**I'm not running now…"** She whispered near his lips, in full play mode, making him raise one of his eyebrows, while tightening his arms around her.

"**No, you're not…"** He responded to her, while feeling her fingers gently caressing his face. **"…But, for how long?"** He added to her, in a whisper.

"**I can't swim to the next shore, can I? If this is what you are asking?"** She mockingly answered him, her lip murmuring in top of his.

"**Mm…."** He murmured to her, while brushing his lips on her, without really kissing her. **"But, if you could, you would!" **

"**Not necessarily, it's nice in here…" **She continued murmuring to him, while passing one of her thumbs on his bottom lips. **"You…Me, in your arms…The sunset, the ocean... while trying to find ways to go against Klaus…Together, against all odds!"** She added to him, while seductively sliding one of her hand, under his open shirt, slowly caressing his muscular chest.

"**Yes! It is so nice…"** He responded to her, while passing the tip of his tongue on the length of her bottom lip. **"…And you know what would be nice, also, love…"** He whispered to her, while slowly kissing the corner of her lips, creating a range of sweet shivers in all her body. **"…If you could stop playing me for a fool, Katherine!"** Elijah said to her, in a calculated tone of voice, before dropping her body from his arms, like a bag of potatoes, on the sand under her.

"**Ohhh…."** She exclaimed herself, in pure shock after her fall, while putting her right hand behind her bottom to rub it, and saying to him in an angry tone of voice: **"Damn you, Elijah…I hate you!" **She screamed at him, more hurt in her self-esteem than anything else, while hearing Elijah laugh, waving a hand at her, and seeing him walking toward the Ocean, before angrily taking a hand full of sand, to throw it in front of her, raising herself on her feet a second later, brushing the sand on her dress, and hearing a loud laughter behind her.

Katherine turned on herself, to noticed Charles who had taking a sitting place at the patio table, while holding a cup of tea in his right hand.

"**What is so funny?"** She screamed at him, while walking in the sand and reaching the patio.

"**Well, Miss Katherine, I suddenly realized that this vacation trip could be actually enjoyable for me…"** He responded to her, before putting his cup of tea to his lips, and drinking it slowly, while giggling and remembering her fall in the sand.

Katherine approached Charles sitting position, while sitting beside him, and reaching for her sunglasses on the top of her head, before dropping them on the table.

"**He is treating me like a brainless woman who can't do anything by herself, and just need to obey him blindly…"** She said to Charles, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, with a big pout on her face.

"**Mm…"** Charles mumbled, while tasting his tea. **"…This tea is actually very good…"** He added more to himself, while seeing Katherine turned an angry look at him. **"Oh… Were you talking to me, Miss Katherine?"** He mockingly asked her.

"**Really, **_Charlie_**…" **She asked him, while giving him the _"Katherine mad attitude_".

"**Miss Katherine, you are both very stubborn individuals…Who never give a chance to the other one…How do you want this relationship to work, if neither of you bend, a little bit, in front of the other?" **He asked her, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**It's not a relationship…"** Katherine responded to Charles, while shrugging her shoulders, and shaking her head in negation, keeping her pout expression, before taking in a right hand, a slice of pineapple on a silver plate placed on the table.

"**Whatever you want to call it then…I won't even go there…"** Charles responded to her, with a hand gesture, while taking his cell phone from one of his cargo pants pocket, and looking at the caller name on his screen, before putting it, the screen facing the glass, on the table and not answering it.

"**I don't want to be left outside of his plans to go against Klaus, Charles…I want to be a part of it!" **She said to him.

"**And you perfectly know that he will never allow you to be in the middle of it! This thing between him and his brother, has been between them, since centuries now…It will not die, only because you will be placed in the middle of it, to fight it with us…Actually, Miss Katherine, believe me when I say, that you are presently just a plot device for Klaus to mark a point against his brother!" **He explained to her, before asking. **"Now, as for you so gracefully falling into the sand, a short moment ago, what was that all about?" **Charles asked her, while smirking.

"**I was trying to …"** Katherine tried to explain to Charles.

"**Playing him to your advantage, to obtain what you wanted from him…Am I right?"** Charles asked her, with a sarcastic smile on his face, while tilting his head and looking at her.

"**What if I was?"** She responded to him, while pouting even more.

"**Well…If you were, you can't be mad at him, to respond to you, by playing your game…"** Charles responded to her, while rolling his eyes. **"…Did you ever consider being truthful to him? Showing him your good intention, and meeting him half way?"**

Katherine looked at Charles, while shrugging her shoulders and not knowing what to respond.

"**We…We have the past, Charles..."** Katherine mumbled in her teeth.

"**Oh yes! The past…The** "_We won't talk about that_" **delicate subject…"** Charles said to her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest. **"Tell me something, Miss Katherine…Do you hate Master Elijah?" **

"**No, why would you think that?" **Katherine answered him too quickly, without even noticing the easy trap, that Charles had just so easily placed, for her to put her foot so easily in it!

"**Why would I think that? Let me see…I don't know, maybe because you repeat it so often to him!"** Charles said to Katherine, with a sarcastic smile on his lips.

"**It's complicated between us, Charles… The past can't be erased so easily…And, at the same time, I …I've seen wonderful qualities in him, these past few weeks."** She answered him, while lowering her sight.

Charles kept silent for a while, sometimes putting a seed in someone head was all that the person needed to think, as he thought to himself that Miss Katherine could finally realized her deep feelings for Master Elijah.

"**I noticed…"** He started saying to her, while lighting a cigar, and adding. **"…That Master Elijah is calling you **_Katherine_** since the fire, and not **_Katerina_** anymore…Maybe, it is his own way of letting go of the past…and letting you know at the same time… what do you think, Miss Katherine?" **He asked her, while taking a few puffs of his cigar.

Katherine shrugged her shoulders at Charles, while staring at the ocean.

"**I don't know…"** She answered Charles, before adding. "**But…It feels weird every time I hear him pronounce the name **_Katherine_**…But, it is very nice also..." **She added to him, while blushing.

"**So, he made an effort…Why don't you give a bit of yourself in return?" **Charles asked her, with a sarcastic smile on his face.

"**You know that you are a pain in the bottom, **_Charlie_**…" **Katherine answered him, while pulling her tongue to him.

"**Right back at you, Miss Katherine…" **He responded to her, with a small laughter, before seeing his cell phone vibrate on the glass table, while leaving it there, and taking another nervous puff of his cigar.

"**Are you going to answer that?"** Katherine asked him, while watching Charles's reaction, and adding. **"It's been the second time; your phone is vibrating without you answering it…"**

"**It's nothing important, Miss Katherine…"** Charles responded to her, with a hand gesture of dismissal, while blushing.

"**Well, if it's not important, why won't you answer it now, to get rid of the person who's trying to reach you…Instead of hearing it vibrate every minute?"** Katherine asked him, to which he shook his head again to her. "**Ok, that is enough…Give me the damn phone!"** She said to him, while snatching it away from the table, and rising on her feet.

"**Miss Katherine, give me back my phone, now!"** Charles screamed at her, while raising himself on his feet, and trying to snatch it back from her hands.

"**Woo,** _Charlie_, **what is twisting your boxer that way?" **She asked him, while trying to look at the screen, before being chased around the table by Charles.** "Is it a woman?"** She asked him, with a laugher, while turning round and round, around the patio table, adding. **"**_Charlie_** is having a secret girlfriend?"**

"**Miss Katherine, I'm warning you…Give back the phone to me!" **Charles angrily asked her, while trying to reach it, before seeing her taking it out of his reach, while looking at the last sender.

"**Oh my God…"** Katherine exclaimed to him, with an open mouth, adding while looking at the cell screen. "**It's Elizabeth who's texting you! You snaky man! Spill! What is going on between you two? Why are you avoiding her calls?" **

"**Oh…." **Charles mumbled in his teeth, while putting both of his palms hands on the outdoor glass table, bending his upper body, before lowering his head, in pure desperation. **"...You're going to torture me with this, aren't you?" **He added to her, while nodding his head.

"**Probably…"** Katherine responded to him, with a laughter, adding. **"Let me see:** _Charles, I hope you arrived safely in Jamaica, and that you will take that vacation to rest and enjoy yourself…Please, give me some news, I worry about you, give my regards to Miss Katherine and Master Elijah_…**That was message 1, the second one:** _ You can text me whenever you want I am always there for you if you need to talk, please know that, yours truly, Elizabeth. _ **Woo, **_Charlie_**….Elizabeth has a crush on you!" **Katherine said in a mocking tone of voice, while making a funny dance, and showing the biggest smirk on her face, before handing his phone back to him.

"**Oh God…Please, Miss Katherine, spare me the torture of hearing your voice in my ears."** Charles said to her, while taking his phone back from her hand.

"_Miss Katherine_**…"** Katherine imitated the voice of Charles, adding. _"…Master Elijah made an effort, you should give a bit of yourself to him_….**What a bowl of shit, why don't you take your own advice?**" She asked him, while crossing her arms in top of her chest, raising one of her eyebrows, and grinning at him.

"**Good evening, Miss Katherine…"** Charles replied to her, while passing beside her, and sliding his cell phone back in one of his pants pocket.

"**Yes, Charlie…Run away! Because you are every bit of a coward than I am, and you are afraid of showing your true feelings…"** She screamed at him, while seeing him pass the arch of the French doors, shaking his head in negation to her saying, waving his hand, and entering the house without answering her. **"…And you should know that I will keep coming at you with this subject every day!"** She added to him, in laughter.

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><p>Katherine decided to troll the entire colonial house, while taking the tour of every room. The night had dropped his curtains of darkness on the ocean, with a sky filled with stars, and a bright full moon in the sky. She arrived in front of a half closed bedroom door that she pushed entirely to enter inside.<p>

She took a few walking steps, before noticing Elijah's leather luggage on the floor, then turned and scattered her surrounding to look at the decor of the bedroom. A gigantic canopy bed was placed in the middle of the room, with on each of the four extremities, a white veil attached to each wood pole of the bed. A hand made crocheted white bedspread, with beautiful lace details, was folded at the feet of the bed, with fluffy bed pillows, and many smaller decorative cushions that were showing beautiful pastel tropical colours, with a numerous tropical designs on them.

A gigantesque wooded wardrobe, with rattan doors, was taking the space of the right wall, while an exquisite wooded desk, with on its desktop a laptop, and a comfortable leather chair, was filling the space on the other opposite side wall, with a plasma TV placed directly on the wall.

Katherine took a few more steps, and reached the two French door in front of the bed, before opening them, and moving forward into the balcony, while witnessing in front of her eyes, the most breath taking ocean view of her all life. She put her hands on the balcony ramp, while closing her eyes, and feeling the softness of the wind caressing her hair, and hearing the waves crashing on the beach. She then turned on herself, and glared at the canopy bed, before a second later closing her eyes, and having the vivid vision of their two naked bodies entwined, with the breeze of the ocean caressing their skin. She opened her eyes, and shook her head, while trying to put these erotic images away from her mind.

She had decided to enter back in the bedroom, when she suddenly noticed the small ladder referred on the outside wall of the house, on the right side of the balcony door. She got rid of her sandals, before raising her dress skirt on her thighs, and climbing on the roof.

She finally reached the roof, while passing one leg after the other over the gutter edge, and raising her head to look at her roof surroundings, before noticing a comfortable rattan base outdoor bed.

"**Oh my God, Elijah…You're unbelievable!"** Katherine said out loud to herself, while giggling like a school girl, before springing herself on the outdoor bed, and turning in the middle of the cushions, while finally witnessing the night sky above her, filled with stars. This was simply perfect!

"**You're enjoying yourself, Katherine?"** She heard a voice asking her, before jumping out of her skin, straightening herself in a sitting position with a hand on her chest, while noticing Elijah who was standing in front of her, both of his hands in his cargo pants pockets, with a smile on his face.

"**You scare me!"** She said to him.

"**It was not my intention…I saw that the balcony doors were opened, and then I noticed your sandals placed in front of them, so I figured you were on the roof top."** He explained to her, while taking a few steps to reach her sitting position on the rattan bed, before sitting beside her, looking at the night sky, and rubbing his hands nervously.

Katherine sighted at him rapidly, while blushing, and feeling extremely aware of his proximity, while sliding her bottom to get out of the bed, before feeling his right hand gently grabbing her forearm.

"**Stay…"** He asked her, in a whisper, while looking straight into her eyes, and adding. **"..Please, Katherine?"**

She nodded her head, while sliding her body back at her initial place, on the cushions, seeing Elijah doing the same and turning his head to smile at her, before taking her hand in his to pull her with him in a complete lying position on the bed, elevating his knees and putting his feet on the edge of the bed.

"**Look at the stars in the sky…"** He murmured to her, while showing them to her with a hand gesture and adding. **"…I feel the most connected with the universe, when I look at them."** He added to her.

"**It's beautiful…"** She responded truthfully to him, while smiling and relaxing herself.

"**Look, Katherine…Do you see the bunch of small ones, with the very bright in the middle?"** Elijah asked her, while showing her with his right hand.

"**Yes…"** Katherine responded to him.

"**This is the Draco constellation…it took me a while to finally recognize it in the night sky...It's actually Oniel, who show it to me for the first time…It was one of the rare one that I did not knew about…After 1 000 years on this planet, it was like a rare gift that I received from above."** Elijah explained to her, while smiling at the sky.

Katherine turned her body on her left side, while sliding one of her hand under a cushion, and looking at him, he turned his head to look at her, before copying her lying position, and locking his eyes with hers.

"**It's hurting me when you're putting me down, while always dropping me on the floor or the sand to make a point that you're the man, Elijah…And I said it metaphorically speaking."** Katherine confessed to him, with a timid smile on her face.

Elijah looked at her with surprise, before raising his hand, and putting a strand of hair, behind her left ear, before caressing her cheek.

"**Ok…"** He simply responded to her, while nodding his head, and adding**. "…And, you need to know that I would never put you down intentionally…I have too much of respect for you…you are a very strong, independent woman, and sometimes more stubborn than I can handle, Katherine…It's making me crazy when you always have to play seduction game to have your way, and are not honest about what you really want from me…"** He confessed to her.

"**Ok…"** She responded to him, while shrugging her shoulders.

"**Because…"** He continued, while taking a pause, and lowering his sight away from hers. **"…It makes me think that you only used seduction and sex to have your way with men, and that you don't see that it is possible that I truthfully want to protect you…And truthfully want to share moments with you, like now…" **He added to her,while caressing her hair, creating all range of shivers in her back.

"**Ok…" **She simply responded to him, while blushing, and processing his honesty with what he just had said to her. **"Why did you stop calling me,** _Katerina_, **after the fire, Elijah?"** She asked of him, while taking his hand in hers, and interlacing her fingers with his.

"**Because I wanted to let you know that I was trying to put the past behind us…And, was respecting the woman that you had become."** He responded to her, while feeling a nervous lump formed in his throat.

Charles was right, thought Katherine, while feeling a tear appear in her eyes, he was trying to reach out to her, in his own "_Viking macho Original man_" kind of way, and she was feeling lost in all the intensity of feelings that she was experiencing with him at this moment. She never had this kind of exchange with any man in all her human or vampire life, and it was scaring her more than anything, that Elijah was able to touch her this way.

"**Thank you…"** She murmured to him, while putting his fingers to her mouth, before kissing their tips one by one.

"**So…"** He asked her, while slowly pulling her in his arms, before sliding his hand on her bare back, in circular slow caresses, making her close her eyes, to fully feel the intensity of the moment, before hearing him murmuring in her right ear. **"Is it a game now, Katherine?"**

"**No…" **She whispered back at him,before opening her eyes, andtouching his face with her right hand, while murmuring in top of his lips. **"…It's me trying to let you know, that, tonight…There are no more games…I only want to be with you, Elijah."** She whispered to him, while feeling an intense fire hitting her entire body.

Elijah bended his head near her neck, before slowly tasting her skin, with the tip of his tongue, in circular slow motions. She raised her hands on his shoulders, before grabbing his hair, helping him bring his mouth in a closer proximity of her skin, while hearing him moaning pleasurable manly sounds of satisfaction. He raised his head to drown his eyes in hers, before avidly crashing his mouth on hers, while tasting the sweet nectar of her lips, and interlacing his tongue with hers, in intense, continuous and passionate exchanged of kisses, while openly showing their physical desire for each other.

She lowered both of her hands on his shirt, before tearing it open, hearing the buttons breaking away from the fabric, while giggling and rubbing her hands frantically on his naked muscular chest.

"**You greedy woman…"** He murmured to her, in top of her lips, in a laughing tone of voice, while straightening his body in a sitting position, and pulling her with him, in his arms, before adding. **"…I loved that shirt."**

"**You'll buy another one…" **She mockingly responded to him, while kissing his jaw line, and feeling his back muscles contract under her hands, before lowering her kiss on his neck, shoulders, pushing him back in a lying position on the bed, before bending her head and slowly kissing his chest, in intense and erotic caresses, in a mix of kissing, licking and biting, while on the same time lowering one of her hand and rubbing his apparent lower bulge, feeling him hardening even more under her hand.

She suddenly raised her upper body, while keeping her eyes locked with his, sliding the straps of her dress away from her shoulders, in a seductive way, before rolling the upper fabric of her sundress on her waist, while standing bare breasts, in front of him, making him glared at her half naked sight, with a powerful desire in his eyes.

He raised himself on a sitting position, while capturing in his mouth the forbidden fruit, and eagerly tasting one of her nipple, in a mix of sucking it hard and passing the tip of his tongue on its hard tip, before giving the same intense pleasure to the other one.

"**Elijah…."** She screamed from the top of her lungs, while forcefully grabbing his hair with one of her hand, feeling her feminine center humidifying even more.

She suddenly, and without any notice, pushed him away from her, before stepping away from the bed, and eagerly looking at him, while raising the fabric of her sundress on her naked chest, and passing a rapid hand through her long hair, and saying to him in a whisper: **"I'm sorry!"**, before running away from him, leaving a tormented, speechless, and half naked Elijah, on the roof top of his Jamaican beach house.

* * *

><p>It took a moment for Elijah to collect his own thoughts. He had no idea what just happened to Katherine on the roof top? And more so, what could have made her run away from him? And he was, for the first time of his life, feeling completely helpless in this situation…He finally entered his bedroom, and angrily threw his man shirt on the floor, while putting both of his hands on each side of his waist, before passing a rapid nervous hand on his face and hair, before startling with surprise at the sight of a naked Katherine who was standing and waiting for him beside his canopy bed, with the light of the moon reflecting on the smoothest of her skin.<p>

"**I want you, Elijah…"** She murmured to him. **"…I'm sorry, I just froze…You have that effect on me…But, I can't leave you."** She honestly confessed to him.

"**Oh my God…You're so beautiful!"** He whispered back to her, while taking a few walking steps to reach her.

* * *

><p>Yes, I know…You must hate me! (LOL) …How can I put a so powerful cliff-hanger, and leaving you all thirsty in the middle of the desert? Easy! You know now that the beginning of the next chapter will be smocking hot!<p>

_**Rebecca**_, I really hope that you loved the "Roof" part…It was one of the suggestion that I was praying to pick…and was so happy to see that I did!

I will never repeat it enough: Thank you so much for your dedication and love to this story! You are, all of you, awesome! And I can't wait to read your reviews!

And yes, unfortunately, I have to go back to my two other stories, once again. But, they (the other readers) are waiting as much as you do for a new update. A special thank you, for those who are reading my three stories, I know there are some of you out there, and it makes me so happy.

Next chapter: **Viva Jamaica – part 2**


	15. Viva Jamaica Part II  A voodoo sorcery

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**- Lovely Vero - **

**Writer's note****: **Ah… finally, I came back to my Elijah & Katherine story! That is enough to put the biggest smile on my face! OMG…I don't know where to start about this chapter…It will make you laugh, it will make you feel so good inside, and happy, and then you'll be in the middle of an adventure…after you'll be shock and surprised! I went completely in a new direction with this chapter…and, in a few words: You will love it! There will be another chapter, or probably two more, in Jamaica.

**Songs inspiration (Sexy Kalijeah scene)****:** Michael Bubble: Try a little tenderness/ Song for you / Quando Quando Quando / I got you under my skin. – Rihana: We find love in the hopeless place – Shunshine Reggae.

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><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

**VIVA JAMAICA **

**PART 2 - "A voodoo sorcery"**

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><p>Next morning, Charles was sitting in front of the patio table, with a cup of tea in hands, and the latest edition of the Jamaican newspaper opened in front of him, when this all <em>Fiesta<em> of screams and anger started!

"**What is wrong with my eggs?" **Thamika asked,standing in front of Charles with a vivid anger expression plastered on her face, while holding her pan in her right hand, just after having poured in the plate in front of him, what seemed to be an omelette of twenty eggs!

"**Thamika, my dear…." **Charles started while trying to control the bad mood of the Jamaican woman.

"**No! Don't try to buy your way out of it with your "**_My dear_**" sweet words, Mister Charles…I won't buy your act! What is wrong with my eggs?" **Thamika asked for a second time.

"**There is absolutely nothing wrong with this gigantic omelette of yours, but you see…" **Charles started to explain himself to her.

"**I see nothing, Mister Charles! You are a tall man…Therefore; a real man needs food in his belly in the morning to start his day…Eat!" **She ordered him, while rolling her big brown eyes in anger.

"**Good morning Thamika! It's beautiful day!" **Elijah said to the Jamaican woman, while kissing her right cheek, looking at the panoramic view of the ocean, and taking a sitting position at the patio table, before grabbing a section of the newspaper, and adding**. "Good morning Charles, are you ungrateful to Thamika for her delightful breakfast…Is this man bothering you, Angel?" **Elijah sarcastically asked her.

"**Good morning, Master Elijah…I…" **Charles started responding, before being cut by Khamika one more time.

"**Ah…My Master, what a joy to see you back in this estate…" **Thamika said to him, while slapping one of his cheeks in a gentle way, and adding. **"…You want the usual, Master? Pancakes with a lot of my specialty syrup on top?"** She asked, while winking at him.

"**Thamika…you always know how I like it!"** Elijah replied, while winking back at her.

"**And you?"** Thamika said, while turning and looking at Charles, before adding. **"What are you waiting for? Eat!"**

"**Master Elijah, if you could explain to Thamika that I am British, therefore I have a very small digestive system in the morning, and I prefer to enjoy my tea, with a slice of bread and a little bit of jelly!"** Charles mumbled angrily in his teeth, to Elijah.

"**Don't make Thamika angry, Charles…" **Elijah said in a mocking tone of voice, while falsely reading the newspaper. **"…You're a guest; therefore it is not polite to not eat what you have in front of you, in your plate!" **

"**But this is your home, not hers!" **Charles said to him, while looking with disdain the huge portion of eggs in his plate.

"**Sorry, Charles…But in here, Thamika is the boss in the kitchen!" **Elijah replied to Charles, while lowering his newspaper, taking a quick look at him and shrugging his shoulders in a mocking way.

"**I SAID EAT!"** Thamika said on more time; while lowering her head at a near inch of Charles's, making him jump on his chair, before taking his fork in his hand, and poking into his omelette.

"**Mm…Delicious"** Charles said to her, with two full cheeks, while showing his raised right thumb to her.

"**You better eat everything that is in front of you!" **She screamed at Charles, while pointing one of her finger toward his plate, before adding.** "When I come back I want to see an empty plate!"** She busted at him, while turning on herself, and entering the house. **"I'll go prepare your pancakes, Master!"** She added to Elijah, while starting to sing, her way back to the kitchen.

"**Thank you, my love!"** Elijah replied to her.

Charles took in his hands one of the pitcher placed on the table, before pouring a glass of orange juice, while trying to gulp the food, with the help of the liquid.

"**Moment like this, I wish that Max would be here…Then, I would slip my plate under the table, for the dog to eat it!"** Charles mumbled in his teeth, before pushing the plate away from him, and taking his cup of tea in his hands.

"**Shame on you, Charles…"** Elijah responded, while shaking his head and trying to hold his laugher, behind his newspaper.

"**She is cooking for an army!"** Charles responded to him, completely outraged.

Elijah lowered his newspaper one more time, to take a quick look at his butler, while smirking, and starting to laugh a short moment after.

"**So happy to brighten up your day with a bit of hilarity, Master Elijah…"** Charles said to him, while sipping his tea and grinning. **"…Count yourself lucky! She is not forcing pounds of food, down your throat!" **

"**Why do you think that I appreciate this moment?"** Elijah replied to Charles, while adding in a whisper. **"Simply, because I had to suffer the same treatment when I met her for the first time…That is why I enjoy watching it so much on others!"**

"**You should be ashamed of yourself!"** Charles replied to him, while opening his eyes widely.

"**Don't be fooled by my impeccable debonair style, Charles…Underneath all, I could surprise you!"** Elijah replied in a mocking tone of voice, while winking at him, and sipping his coffee.

"**Like I don't already know that fact about you, Son?"** Charles responded to him, while grinning and taking a section of the newspaper left on the table. **"So?"**

"**Yes?"** Elijah asked, while continuing to read his newspaper in hands.

"**How was your first night in Jamaica, did you sleep well?" **Charles asked him, while smirking and coughing for the "I know what you did last night" effect.

Elijah lowered his newspaper on the table, before grinning at Charles.

"**Not very subtle, aren't you?"** Elijah said to Charles, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**Now…Don't be fooled by my impeccable debonair style, Son…Underneath all, I could surprise you!" **Charles replied, with laughter in his voice, while imitating Elijah's voice.

"**If you continue this way, Charles…" **Elijah mockingly replied to him, while raising on his feet, and looking at the ocean, his two hands holding the railing, before adding.** "…I'll ask Thamika to prepare you a double portion of her eggs tomorrow morning!"**

"**You wouldn't dare!" **Charles replied to him.

Elijah turned on himself, while looking at Charles, and raising one of his eyebrows.

"**You would dare! It's simply unacceptable!"** Charles mockingly answered**, **while finishing his tea, and dropping the china cup on the table. **"It's nice to see you smile!"** He added to Elijah. **"I hope you are finally finding your way back to Miss Katherine, and her way back to you!"** Charles continued.

"**It's Jamaica…She's happy for now! That doesn't mean anything but a nice time together."** Elijah replied to Charles, while shrugging his shoulders.

"**Being cynical will not bring you sooner in her heart, you know…"** Charles replied to him, while leaning backward on his chair, and crossing his fingers in top of his chest. **"…And it is where you want to be Son, no? We know that she is already in yours?"** Charles added while smirking.

"**Remind me again why I brought you in here with me, Charles?"** Elijah asked him, with a smile on his face, while shaking his head and looking at the ocean, at the same time he was drifting away, with his stare lost in the blues of the waves, into a recent memory…

* * *

><p>It took a moment for Elijah to collect his own thoughts. He had no idea what just happened to Katherine on the roof top? And more so, what could have made her run away from him? And he was, for the first time of his life, feeling completely helpless in this situation…He finally entered his bedroom, and angrily threw his man shirt on the floor, while putting both of his hands on each side of his waist, before passing a rapid nervous hand on his face and hair, before startling with surprise at the sight of a naked Katherine who was standing and waiting for him beside his canopy bed, with the light of the moon reflecting on the smoothest of her skin.<p>

"**I want you, Elijah…"** She murmured to him. **"…I'm sorry, I just froze…You have that effect on me…But, I can't leave you."** She honestly confessed to him.

"**Oh my God…You're so beautiful!"** He whispered back to her, while taking a few walking steps to reach her.

She slowly raised her sight, drowning them in his. He took a lock of her hair in his right hand, while turning it slowly around one of his finger. He knew her more than he knew himself …If he was too sudden, she would leave for good this time…And that was absolutely the last thing that he wanted right now!

Her sweet and aphrodisiac perfume evaporating from her hair was making him loose his head. He closed his eyes for a few second, to fully feel the intensity of this moment, while taking the last walking steps, and finally reached her standing naked body position, brushing purposely his bare chest on hers…He needed to feel her flesh on his….sliding his lips on her forehead, and his hands on her naked back, while keeping his eyes closed, before raising his hands on her back, playing with his fingers on her silky skin, in soft, almost unnoticeable touches, like a pianist would play on his most precious instrument, creating a range of delightful shivers in all her body.

"**You're shaking like a leaf…"** He whispered to her, his lips on her forehead skin, with his eyes still closed, while gently rubbing the length of her arms. "**I know it's not because you're cold…"** He said to her, with a mocking tone of voice, while hearing her laughed a bit. **"What are you afraid, Katherine, are you afraid of me?"** He asked her.

"**I'm not…" **She responded to him, with a shaky voice, whilefeeling his lips moving from her forehead to her cheeks, in slow, almost none noticeable butterflies kisses.

"**Mm…"** He mumbled, while continuing to kiss the corner of her lips, without fully kissing her, yet.

"…**I'm…"** She whispered to him, while raising her hands on his bare chest, sliding them in slow movements on his muscular abs. **"…I'm afraid of loosing control with you, you have that effect one me! And you know…You know how much I hate to loose control!"** She finally admitted to him, in a low murmur, while raising her head and locking her eyes with his.

"**You're not the only one…"** Elijah answered her, with a broken voice, while nodding his head, and cupping her face in his hands, adding before swallowing a lump in his throat. **"Because you have the same effect on me…"** He added in a whisper, before sliding his mouth on her trembling lips, while slowly kissing her.

Katherine kissed him back, before gently, pushing herself away from him, while caressing his lips, with the tip of her fingers, while keeping her stare locked with his, sliding her hands on his cargo pants belt, before pulling it away, opening his pants, and sliding her right hand to feel the hardness of his desire for her, in slow rubbing movements on his length.

"**What are you doing to me, Katherine?"** He murmured to her, while closing his eyes, and enjoying her expert caress on him, while lowering his hands on her lower back, before caressing the roundness of her hips, in a mix of grabbing and sliding his fingers sensually on her bare skin.

"**I want to feel you inside of me…"** She whispered to him, her lips on top of his right ear lobe, while sliding his pants on the floor. **"Now…"** She ordered him.

"**You're lucky, love…It's a place that I want to be also!"** He whispered back to her, before grabbing her waist, turning her boy around, and pushing her toward one of the wooden pole of the canopy bed, which she grabbed with both of her hands, while bending her back and head on his chest, before moaning her intense sexual and sensual pleasure. **"Now…"** He murmured in her ear.

Elijah raised her right leg on the bed, opening her thighs as an invitation, while grabbing her waist firmly, and sliding his entire length in a good push in her, making her open her mouth in surprise and arousal, while grabbing the bed pool even firmer.

"**Elijah…"** She screamed his name, while enjoying the increasing pleasure of his slow and precise thrusting movements in her wet and pulsating feminine center, feeling his hands on her breasts, while caressing their roundness, and stroking their hard tips with his thumbs, before lowering one of his hand between her legs, where she needed for him to create more intense erotic pressure, making her bite her lips in ecstasy, while feeling him devour with hot kisses, every inch of her neck. **"…I want you so much!" **She added to him, while turning her head to lock her eyes with his.

"**You have me, **_Katerina_**…We have all night to make love to each other…"** He murmured to her, while kissing the roundness of her right shoulders, before raising his head, and crashing his mouth on hers.

* * *

><p>Katherine stretch both of her arms above her head, before sliding her body back in Elijah's arms, with her legs interlacing with his, her head on his chest, while kissing his skin, and caressing his stomach with the tip of her fingers, in circular movements, the bed sheet placed on both of their hips.<p>

He kissed her forehead, while encircling her body with his arms.

"**It's so peaceful in here…"** She murmured to him, while listening to the sound of waves crashing on the beach. **"When I saw this bedroom, I imagine us lying in the bed, with the French door open, while listening to the sound of the ocean…And feeling the breeze caressing our naked bodies."** She said to him, with a heavenly smile.

Elijah lowered his head to look at her with surprise, while caressing her back.

"**You did?"** He asked her.

"**Yes…"** She replied to him, with the most honesty.

"**Next time send me a memo…I'll come faster!"** He mockingly replied to her, while taking her chin in his right hand, to raise her head, locking his eyes with hers.

"**I will…"** She said to him, with a smile, before kissing him on the lips.

"**Do that…"** He murmured in top of her lips, before returning her kiss, making her giggle with happiness, before laying her head back on his chest, feeling his hand caressing her hair.

"**Katherine, we have to talk…"** Elijah murmured to her, while kissing the top of her head.

"**Why?"** She replied to him, while loosing her smile. **"It's nice now…And, calm…And we're enjoying this moment!" **

"**I know, love…But, we have unspoken…Unspoken and unresolved feelings of the past that need to be clarify." **He murmured to her, his mouth in top of her head.

"**I just want to be in your arms, Elijah…I don't want to talk about the past, now…Please?" **She begged him.

"**Ok…"** He agreed, while nodding his head.

"**I wonder if Charles will enjoy the Island as much as we will…"** Katherine asked him, while giggling, making Elijah smirk at her saying.

"**Charles can surprise us sometimes…"** Elijah replied to her, with laughter in his tone of voice.

"**He must be missing Elizabeth so much…"** She replied to him.

"**Why do you say that?" **Elijah asked Katherine.

Katherine raised her upper right arm to support her head, while staring at Elijah, with a smile on her face.

"**You would not see a fly on your nose, if it was standing on its tip!"** She mockingly answered him, while stroking the tip of his nose, with one of her finger.

"**Charles and Elizabeth…It can't be possible?"** Elijah replied to her, while wrinkling his forehead, sliding his right arm under his head, and staring at the ceiling fan. **"When that happened?" **He asked her, while shaking his head in disbelief.

"**Charles? I noticed it at my arrival at the Manor…Elizabeth, Mm, let me think…It was at the Summer Banquet…"** She replied to him, with a smirk on her face.

"**But…But…"** Elijah replied to her, without founding the words.

"**But, but, but…Nothing…"** Katherine replied to him, while sliding one finger on top of his mouth, to shut him up, while caressing his lips, and sliding her body in top of his.

"**Sometimes, it simply happens…"**She murmured to him, while drowning her eyes in his.

"**It simply happens?"** Elijah replied to her, while sliding one of his hands, from her lower back to her neck, pushing her head toward his, his lips in top of hers. **"And it feels good when it does happen…"** He said to her, while crashing his mouth on hers.

* * *

><p>It was the middle of the night, when Charles passed in front of Elijah's bedroom door, while trying to walk the most quietly possible, to avoid making any kind of noise, and waking up the house guests.<p>

He suddenly stopped, while hearing loud laughter that was coming from Elijah's bedroom. He raised his head, while turning his sight toward the bedroom door. Well, it seemed that Master Elijah and Miss Katherine were wide awake! He thought to himself, while shaking his head and smirking.

Charles took the stairs, before heading toward the kitchen to prepare a cup of tea. He finally got out of the house, while walking silently toward the patio, dropping his cup of tea on the table, while taking a sitting place in front of the ocean. It was near three o'clock in the morning, and the moon was lighting up the beach, with the waves gently crashing on the rocks and sand, in a marvellous, peaceful sound.

Suddenly, he heard the vibrating sound of his cell phone. He reached to grab it, in one of his pants pockets, took a look at the caller ID on the screen, before closing his eyes, and sighing. He finally answered it, before putting it near his ear.

"**Elizabeth!"** He answered her, while passing a nervous hand through his hair.

"**Finally…."** She said to him. **"…I was worrying about you, you were not answering my messages…Charles, are you alright?"**

"**I…Yes, of course I'm alright…"** He started to explain, before making a pause, and adding. **"…Well…There are no excuses that I could find or tell you, for not picking up or not answering your messages earlier, except that I don't want you to worry about me, and…I don't want to be a bother on your shoulders, especially when you are grieving your dead husband at the present moment."**

"**You can't control what people are feeling, Charles…And I am, genuinely, caring and worrying about you!" **Elizabeth replied to him.** "Look at the time; I did not realize…did I wake you up?" **She exclaimed to him, in panic, while realizing the time difference between England and Jamaica.

"**No, no…I reassure you my dear, as much as I always been a nocturnal person in England…It is the same in here! Even worst, if you realize that the time difference put me in early morning in England, at this present time of the night in here!"** He replied to her.

"**So, you must be sitting with a cup of tea in front of yourself then?"** She sarcastically replied to him, while holding her laughter.

"**I can't hide anything from you, can I?"** He replied to her, with a smile, while taking a sip of his tea. **"I am sitting on the back porch table, in front of spectacular view of the ocean right this moment, while contemplating the quietness of a tropical night!" **He explained to her in details.

"**Oh! That must be so fabulous, Charles…"** Elizabeth replied to him, while smiling.

"**It has a certain charm and appeal to it, actually…"** Charles replied to her, adding. **"…I'll take some pictures, and send them to you by text messages!" **

"**Oh, that would be so nice! Thank you, Charles!" **She replied to him, before adding.** "How are Master Elijah and Miss Katherine?" **She questioned him.

"**Quite busy at the moment…"** He responded to her, while smirking and with a touch of sarcasm in his tone of voice.

"**But they are not fighting all the time, I hope?"** She asked him.

"**I don't believe they are fighting now!"** He responded to her, while shaking his head, and lowering his back on the chair, with the biggest smile plastered on his face.

"**Good! These two had enough turmoil for a life time, Charles!"** She replied to him.

"**Unfortunately, my dear…Threats are still lurking on their backs as we speak!"** Charles said to her, while loosing his smile.

"**I know, Charles…I know…How are you handling everything in the middle of all this?"** She asked him.

"**Keeping my eyes open…And searching a way to help them!"** He responded to her.

"**You already did!"** She responded to him.

"**I beg your pardon?"** He asked her.

"**I mean, you already saved their lifes…The day of the fire!"** She explained to him, before adding. **"And I believe that you gave more of yourself that meets the eyes…And I think that you know what I mean?"** She added in a low whisper.

"**You won't let that go, Elizabeth?"** Charles asked her.

"**I am quite a stubborn lady, Charles…"** She replied to him.

"**Yes…I noticed that about you, Elizabeth!"** He responded to her, while smirking.

"**And…"** Elizabeth asked him.

"**And what, my dear…"** He questioned her.

"**Well…Is it something that you like in me?"** She asked him, while blushing.

Charles raised one of his eyebrows, while holding his breath for a few seconds.

"**Well…It's certainly an attractive quality in a woman…"** He murmured to her.

"**In general or for you…"** She asked him.

Charles closed his eyes, while stroking his eyelids with his right hand.

"**Elizabeth…"** He murmured to her, in hope that she would stop pushing this issue.

"**Yes? What was your answer?" **She asked him, while holding her breath herself.

"**Yes…It's a quality that I like in a woman"** He responded to her, in a very low whisper, making her close her eyes and smile, while savouring his answer.

"**I should let you go…I obviously, took too much of your night time already."** She mumbled to him.

"**None sense…"** Charles replied to her, before adding. "…**How are the children?"**

"**They're coping, very slowly…One day at a time..." **She replied to him.

"**And you? Are you coping, Elizabeth?"** Charles asked her.

"**I'm …. I'm at peace at the moment."** She replied to him.

"**I'm happy for you, then…"** He said to her.

"**Thank you Charles…"** She said to him, before adding. **"…I let your rest now…You should try to catch a couple hours of sleep…It will do you good!" **

"**I'll try…" **Charles replied to her.

"**Good night, then…" **Elizabeth said to him.

"**Good night, Elizabeth…" **Charles said to her, before adding.** "Elizabeth?" **

"**Yes, Charles?" **She anxiously asked to him.

"**Well…If…I mean, I'm usually up very late at night…and, if…"** Charles mumbled almost incoherently to Elizabeth, making her smile.

"**Yes Charles! I can call you back around the same hour, good night!"** She replied to him, while smiling and closing the communication.

* * *

><p><em>Jamaica, present time<em>…

Elijah shook his head, while trying to get a grip on reality…His mind had strayed in the previous events of last night. He turned on himself, glancing at Charles, who was staring at the ocean, lost in his own thoughts.

"**Charles, you seem as lost in your thoughts, as I was a moment ago…"** Elijah said to him.

"**Mm…"** Charles responded to him, while shaking his head, and coming back to the reality of this present moment. **"I'm sorry; I drift away for a short moment…What is that?" **Charles exclaimed to Elijah, while straightening himself on the chair, and looking at the beach.

"**What is what?"** Elijah asked him, while turning his head to look in the same direction. **"Oh, a dog, it seems…There are a lot of lost dog on the Island!" **

"**Oh, thank you God!" **Charles said to him, while rising on his feet in a matter of seconds, taking the plate fool of eggs in his hand, before rushing down the stairs, toward the beach, and kneeling on the sand.** "Come here, Doggy…Come see Pappy Charles…He has something good for you!" **

Elijah busted into laughter, while bending his upper body and head, and stroking his teary eyes with his right hand.

"**Charles! This is not fair…Not a fair game, at all…I should tell to Thamika, what you're doing with her breakfast!"** Elijah screamed to him, while looking at Charles handing the plate to the lost dog.

"**Just try to do that!"** Charles replied to Elijah, while pointing a finger at him, making Elijah laugh even more.

"**Now, you realize that the dog will come to the house every day?"** Elijah replied to him, while crossing his arms over his chest.

"**And I'll be here to feed him, with this copious breakfast every morning!"** Charles replied to him, before straightening himself in a standing position, while watching the dog running back to the beach, and walking himself toward the patio.

"**You were luckier than me…I had to eat the entirety of her breakfast for months!"** Elijah said to him, while giving him a slap in the back.

Charles laughed, before sliding his empty plate on the table, taking his sitting position, with the newspapers in his hands.

"**Good morning, Charlie!"** They heard Katherine greeting him. She was wearing a tiny-sexy red bikini, with on top, an open, white, and transparent shirt. Elijah raised his sight on her, while blushing intensively, at her breathtaking sexy sight.

"**Well, Miss Katherine…Good morning to you!"** Charles answered her, adding sarcastically and with a smile. **"Did you sleep well?" **

"**Yes…I slept very well!" **She replied to Charles, while taking a strawberry from a fruit bowl, and sucking on the red fruit, while locking her eyes with Elijah's, who was staring at her with an intensity that created shivers in all her body.

Charles looked at her, before turning his head to look at Elijah, before raising his newspaper in front of his face, to have the chance to laugh silently behind it, at their mutual exchange of romantic glances.

"**What are you wearing?"** Elijah asked her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Katherine shrugged her shoulders, while biting into the small red fruit.

"**A bikini…"** She responded, while smiling seductively to him.

"**Yes, I can see that…But it is certainly not one of the bikinis that were put in your luggage to wear in here!**" Elijah said to her, while staring into her eyes.

Charles lowered his newspaper to take a quick look at the beginning of their quarrel, while smirking at them.

"**The bikinis that were in my luggage, are not bikinis, they are one piece swimming suits! And they would not even give me the chance to have a tan! I could wear a blanket on the beach and it would be the same!"** She responded to him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, in a copy cat of his standing position.

"**They were certainly more suitable for a young woman!"** Elijah replied to her, with an angrier tone of voice, making Charles giggled behind his newspaper.

"**What is so funny, Charles?"** Elijah asked him.

"**Ohh, I'm sorry, Master Elijah…Are you talking to me?"** Charles responded to him, while lowering his newspaper, adding to him while winking. **"…Well, it's the "**_young woman_**", part of the sentence, which made me giggled obviously!" **

"**Ouch! Charlie!" **Katherine said to him, falsely outraged, while passing her tongue to him.

"**Sorry, Miss Katherine…Sometimes I can't restrain myself!"** Charles responded to her, in a mocking tone of voice.

"**Go change, now!"** Elijah said to her, in an ordering tone of voice.

"**Make me!"** She replied to him, while standing in front of him, with both of her hands, on each side of her hips.

"**Where in hell did you find this…Whatever, tiny piece of clothe that you're wearing?"** Elijah asked her.

"**I put them in my handbag before leaving England…"** Katherine replied to him, while pouting.

"**Them? How many are there? Though, it's not like they took too much place in your bag…" **He mockingly said to her, adding.** "…You had no idea, where we were going, why did you put bikinis in your bag?"** Elijah asked to her, in astonishment.

"**I'm always ready for anything!"** Katherine lashed out at him. **"And I won't change into the ones that you choose for me!" **She added in anger to him.

"**My master…Here are your pancakes!" **Thamika exclaimed to Elijah, while walking toward the patio table, and sliding a plate full of pancakes in front ofElijah, making Charles rolled his eyes at the sight of the mountain of pancakes, before watching her slide another plate, with one toast and Jelly, in front of Katherine. **"And this is for you, Miss Katherine!" **

"**Thank you my **_chérie_**…" **Elijah said to Thamika, whileputting syrup in top of his pancakes. **"Do you want pancakes Charles?"** He asked sarcastically to his friend.

"**Thank you Thamika!" **Katherine replied to her, while biting into the slim slice of toasted bread.

"**Ah, my master…You know how I feel, when you are calling me French name!"** Thamika said to him, while blushing.

"**Wait a minute…"** Charles said to Thamika, while looking at the toast in the hands of Katherine. **"Why can't I have a small breakfast like that one?"** He asked her.

Thamika lowered her sight on Charles's empty plate, while raising one of her eyebrows, and rolling her eyes.

"**Oh…No, no, no…."** Charles said to her, while shaking his hands in front of her, adding. **"This is not what you think!"**

"**This is not what I think?"** Thamika repeated to him, while taking the empty plate in her hands. **"What I think is that you have an appetite of an ogre, Mister Charles! I'll put more eggs tomorrow!"** She said to him, while turning and heading toward the kitchen.

"**She'll put more eggs in your plate tomorrow…"** Elijah repeated to him, while nodding and smirking at Charles.

"**Thank you so much, for your unconditional support, Master Elijah!"** Charles responded to him, before hearing him laugh, while biting into his pancakes.

Katherine took her sitting place at the table, near Elijah, before biting one more time into her toast, and sliding sensually her foot, under the table, from the bottom of his pants, toward the inside of his thighs, before rubbing slowly his crotch, making him sigh profoundly by surprise.

"**Are you ok, Master Elijah…"** Charles asked him, as real concern.

"**Yes, I am fine, Charles."** Elijah responded to him, before sliding his left hand under the table, and pushing Katherine's foot away from him.

"**You're no fun!"** She murmured to him, while pouting, and sticking her tongue to him.

"**My people…It's a glorious sunny day under the Jamaican sun!"** Oniel exclaimed while arriving on the patio. **"How's my master this morning?"** Oniel asked Elijah, while banging his fist with Elijah's.

"**Good morning, Oniel!"** Elijah replied to him, while smirking.

"**Mister Charles, my man!"** Oniel greeted him, while nodding his head and adding. **"You're looking good this morning…In your simple, beige t-shirt, yesterday, you almost blindsided me…that shirt was horrible! Wooo…"** He said to Charles, while gesturing with his hands, making Katherine and Elijah bend her head to laugh. **"And of course my tropical princess…" **Oniel added to Katherine, while kissing the back of her left hand, and adding.** "And wooooo look at you in this sexy…."** Oniel started saying to Katherine, while taking two steps backward, while seeing Elijah pointing at him.

"**You don't look, and… you don't touch!"** Elijah said to him, while pointing his finger to him.

"**What?"** Katherine exclaimed to him, while being outraged**. "Who made you the keeper of this?"** Katherine asked Elijah, while showing her body with her hands.

Elijah raised one of his eyebrows, before putting in his mouth a big bite of pancakes, and smirking at her.

"**Is this an hour to show your face at work?"** Oniel heard, his wife, Thamika, screaming in his ears, making him jump out of his body.

"**Thamika, my darling…You look so beautiful this morning!"** Oniel said to her, while gesturing with his hands.

"**You saw me at sun rise! I was not beautiful then?"** She asked him, with both of her hands on each side of her waist.

"**But of course, my angel…You're the sunshine of my life!"** Oniel responded to her, while kissing her left cheek.

"**Mm…"** Thamika mumbled in her teeth, not convinced.

"**Ok, Oniel…We're going!"** Elijah said to him, in a more serious tone of voice, while throwing his napkin on the table, nodding to Charles, while raising himself on his feet.

"**Wait a minute…Where are you going?"** Katherine asked Elijah, while holding a firm grip on his forearm.

"**Taking care of some business, Katherine…"** Elijah replied to her, before bending his head near hers, and kissing her forehead. **"Have fun at the beach…You are certainly dressed for it!"** He added, in a mocking tone of voice, while winking at her.

Katherine kept her grip on his arm, while adding:

"**I'll change in five minutes, and I am not easily tossed aside, Elijah…I hate when you're doing that! I want to go…I think I know what this business is all about…Let me go with you, please!"** She begged him, while whispering to him.

"**I doubt that…And the answer is: No!"** He simply responded to her. **"Charles, come!"** He added to him, before walking away, leaving her and Thamika on the patio.

Katherine hit her feet, with anger, on the wooded floor of the patio, while crossing her arms in front of her, and pouting.

"**I hate this…"** She said out loud.

"**Oh Miss Katherine, don't get so upset for men…They certainly don't deserve it!" **Thamika said to her, while picking up the dishes on the table.

Katherine suddenly raised one of her eyebrows, before looking at Thamika.

"**Thamika, do you know where they are going?"** She asked her.

"**Oh yes…Miss Katherine! I know…Not sure you would like to be there!"** Thamika answered her, while rolling her eyes.

"**You have a car?"** Katherine asked her.

"**I have a lemon with four wheels, not sure that I can even call that a truck though…But, it does the job!"** She replied to Katherine.

"**Would you drive me where they're heading?"** Katherine asked her, while joining her hands as a prayer in front of the Jamaican woman.

"**Miss Katherine…I don't know, I don't want to upset my master."** Thamika answered her, while shaking her head.

"**Did he say specifically that you couldn't drive me anywhere?"** She asked her.

"**Not that I know…"** Thamika answered her. **"But, Miss Katherine, where they are going…It's not a place for you to be!" **She added to her, while shaking her head to Katherine.

"**Don't worry about me…"** Katherine shouted to her, while rushing inside the house, and adding. **"Give me five minutes; I'll put a short and a t-shirt!" **

"**Keep your bikini underneath…You'll need it!" **Thamika shouted back at her, making Katherine turn and look at her, with surprise.

* * *

><p>Oniel turned the steering wheel of the jeep, while taking the direction of a palm trail, making the jeep jumped around, on the unevenness of the mud road.<p>

"**Is it far from here?"** Charles asked him, while holding himself on the handle of the passenger door.

"**Not really…"** Oniel screamed at Charles, to cover the noise of the engine. **"…We need to keep going on this trail, which will lead us to a marsh pond…From there, it's by foot!"** He added as explanation to Charles.

"**A marsh pond, really…Oh joy… And me who always wanted to swim into a marsh pond!" **Charles sarcastically said, while opening his eyes widely.

"**Master…"** Oniel said to Elijah, while shaking his head, before adding. **"You're friend is hilarious!"**

"**Is it your way of announcing me that we're filming the next saga of Indiana Jones, Master Elijah?"** Charles screamed at him, as a question.

"**Oh, Charles…Come on…Where is your sense of adventure?"** Elijah replied to him, in a mocking tone of voice, while pushing away the palm branches that were lending in his face.

"**Who's this **_Damarco_** person**?" Charles asked Oriel.

"_Damarco _**is known as the last voodoo sorcerer, on the Island." **Oniel explained to Charles.

Charles raised one of his eyebrows, while holding more strongly his hat and seat, when Oniel hit a bump on the road.

"**So, he's some kind of a warlock?"** Charles asked him.

"**Na…"** Oniel responded to him, adding. **"…Don't mix the two; my man…A voodoo sorcerer is into the knowledge of sortilege, by having an open book on your soul, on your past and on your future…" **

"**He's able to predict the future?" **Charles said to Oniel, with astonishment.

"**He's been known to do that! " **Oniel responded to him, while nodding his head.

"**That is simply impossible!"** Charles said to Oniel.

"**It's not Charles!"** Elijah responded to him, before adding. **"He proved to me the contrary more than once…" **

Oniel finally stopped the jeep, before stepping out, with Elijah and Charles behind him.

"**This is it!"** Oniel said to Elijah, while nodding his head in direction of the marsh pond, with both of his hands on each side of his waist.

"**We have to pass through it?"** Elijah asked him.

"**Yes, Master…"** Oniel replied to him.

"**Let's do it then…"** Elijah said, while opening the zippers on the legs of his cargo pants, to make it a short, before passing his t-shirt above his head.

"**I'm sorry…"** Charles asked Elijah, while shaking his arms in all direction; to scare away an army of mosquito on his side. **"You're going to enter this green marsh substance?" **

"**If I have to do it, to help me beat my brother…Absolutely, yes, Charles!" **Elijah replied to him, while following Oniel toward the small marsh pond. **"Stay here! Wait for her…"** He added to Charles, while nodding his head.

"**Her? Mister Elijah…"** Charles replied, while hiding his hilarity behind his right hand, knowing perfectly who Elijah was talking about.

"**Like you don't know already, that she will follow us here, and show her bottom in no time, with the help of Thamika?"** Elijah asked Charles.

"**Well the probabilities of Miss Katherine, showing her beautiful bottom here, are a near 99% of the chances…I give you that!"** Charles responded to him, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, while smirking.

"**Don't let her find us!"** Elijah said to Charles, while pointing a finger at him.

"**I'll try my best, Master Elijah…I'll even change her as a sheep, if I need to do it!"** Charles responded to him, while trying to hold his laughter.

"**Women: can live with them…Can't live without them…We're stock with them!" **Oniel exclaimed, while shaking his head. **"My man, if you are thirsty there's a cooler in the trunk of the jeep…And a spray bottle for Mosquito bites" **

"**Thank you…" **Charles replied to him, while pushing his sunhat further down his head…The intensity of the sun was starting to hit the island, and the heat was intensifying.

Elijah and Oniel walked toward the marsh pond.

"**Now, Master…Remember that what you will see, or what your mind we'll make you see, is not real! Voodoo magic is very powerful…**_Damarco_** will test you that way!"** Oniel said to Elijah, before adding to Charles. **"We'll probably disappear from your sight; in a short moment…Don't panic Mister Charles! We'll be ok!"** Oniel said to him before entering the marsh, followed by Elijah.

"**How can you disappear? I am looking at you as we speak…and…believe me whne I say, that I've seen my part of magic in my life…and…" **Charles started saying, before opening his mouth in shock, and noticing, an intense and thick fog, overlooking the marsh pond, with no more trace of the two men. **"Well…I guess I just received the answer to my question!"**

* * *

><p>Thamika old 4x4 managed to drive Katherine at destination; she stopped the truck, before letting Katherine stepping out.<p>

"**Go!"** She screamed at Thamkia, while waving goodbye at her.

"**But Miss Katherine, you're sure you'll be ok?"** Thamika asked her. **"You have no idea what you're about to encounter!" **

"**I'm sure…I see Oniel's jeep…I'll be fine!"** She repeated to Thamika, before seeing her nodding her head, and drive away from the palm trail.

She turned on herself, before rushing toward the jeep. She had changed her clothes and was now wearing a pair of short, in a kaki color, and a white tank top, over her bikini, with a pair of flat leather sandals, and she had put her hair in a bun.

Katherine reached the jeep, and saw a pair of hiking shoes, with legs crossed and resting on the top of the passenger door. She lowered her head to look inside the jeep, and noticed Charles, lying on the back seats, with his hat covering his head, while sleeping and snoring like a pig. She pushed his legs away from the door, making him wake up in not time.

"**Aww Miss Katherine, what a fabulous surprise!"** He said to her, while taking his hat away from his face, and smirking at her. **"What is bringing you in this remote location?" **

Katherine stood outside the jeep, with his arms crossed in front of his chest, with an angry expression on her face.

"**Where are Oniel & Elijah?"** She asked Charles, with a fiery stare in her eyes.

"**Who…"** Charles asked her, while straightening his body, in a sitting position.

"**Ok…Not in the mood for a game today…Charlie, I'll find them myself!" **She replied to him, whilegetting rid of her short, and taking a few walking steps to reach themarsh pond, making Charles get out of the jeep in a slip second.

"**You? Not in the mood to play a game….And, Miss Katherine, you'll go nowhere!"** He ordered her, while reaching her standing position.

"**What is this green shit?"** Katherine exclaimed herself, while shaking her head, while grinning, and pinching her nose in disdain.

"**Something that you don't want to put your toe in it, believe me…Now come back to the jeep with me, and we'll sit, and discuss till their return…"** He said to her, while turning his back for a split second, before realizing that she was not following him, turning his head, and seeing her entering the marsh. **"Oh! You got to be kidding me, Miss Katherine! Come back here!"** He screamed at her.

"**No! I want to know what is going on…"** She replied to him, while slowly advancing into the green tick substance.

"**Oh…How much I hate you right now, for making me do this!"** He screamed back at her, while getting rid of his hat, shoes, socks, and entering the marsh pond, before being surrounded by a thick fog. **"Miss Katherine, where are you?"** He screamed at her, without hearing a single reply or sound in return.

* * *

><p>Oniel and Eljah finally reached the wooden <em>cabana<em>, in the other side of the voodoo marsh pond. They pushed the wooden door, before entering inside, and bending their bodies, while spitting and coughing in an attempt to come back to reality. The wooden door suddenly closed by itself, in a big slamming noise, leaving them in the dim light of the room.

Elijah straightened his upper body, while trying to inspect the interior of the small cabin. Several dusty jars with herbs and unknown substances were put on different wooden shelves, voodoo dolls were placed in a perfectly alignment, with some skulls beside them.

"**Are you ok, Master?"** Oniel asked him, while slapping his right hand on his back.

"**Ya…Are you?"** Elijah asked him, while turning his head and looking at him.

"**Ya…I think it was worst the last time I came here…"** Oniel responded to Elijah, while nodding his head to him.

They finally heard a noise coming from the back of the cabin, the limping walking sound, before seeing a curtain being open in front of them.

"_Elijah Mikaelson_**, it's been a very long time…" **The voodoo sorcerer said to him, while asking Elijah, with a hand gesture, to follow him behind the curtains.

"**Wait for me here!"** Elijah ordered Oniel, before following the sorcerer.

The man was very tall, and was limping with his left leg, while holding in the opposite hand, a white cane with a dead skull on its top. He had long white tangled hair, one glass eye, and missing teeth were finishing the sinister image of the sorcerer.

"**Yes, it's been, **_Damarco_**…"** Elijah responded to him, while nodding his head in respect, before placing his hands on each side of his waist.

"**I saw a lot of turmoil in you, **_Elijah Mikaelson_**…While passing the pond…"** Damarco said to him, before taking a sitting position on a strange chair, sculpted in the trunk of a tree. **"…But I saw real strength also…You were able to pass the test…You're still a pure and honourable soul!"**

"**Thank you…I am in need of your help?"** Elijah responded to the sorcerer.

"**The past, the future, or a sortilege…"** Damarco asked him.

"**A bit of everything…"** Elijah replied to him.

"**You know that playing God could have enormous repercussion!"** The sorcerer warned him.

"**I know…"** Elijah replied humbly to him, while nodding his head in respect.

"**Then, as you wish, **_**Elijah Mikaelson**_**…" **Damarco said to him, while reciting words in a voodoo language, rolling his head backward, before reaching an intense state of trance. "**A woman had captured your heart for a second time in your vampire life…Her name start with a **_K, _**she'll give you a lot of grieves, but you'll reach real happiness with her also! You saved her life several times in a recent past…But the future is darker as for her survival…" **

"**How can I save her this time…" **Elijah asked Damarco, suddenly anxious.

"**You'll find a way…" **The sorcerer answered simply to him, with a hand gesture, to calm him down.

"**There's a witch attached to her, but also to you…A dark soul…An evil woman…" **Damarco continued, explaining in trance, to him.

"**Elise…"** Elijah murmured to himself.

"**You've been searching for your lost family, for months now…Without knowing that one of them is already free of his imprisonment!"** The sorcerer said to him.

"**One of them….But, there's only Klaus…"** Elijah asked the sorcerer.

"**No, another member of your family…A man…"** Damarco confirmed to Elijah, while shaking his head. **"He knows everything about you…And he's been following your every move…" **

"**Tell me, who? Finn, Kol? These are my brothers" **Elijah asked him, but the voodoo sorcerer kept silent at his request, making him pass a quick hand on his hair.

"**You've been followed here…The devil is on your trail!"** The sorcerer confirmed to him.

"**Klaus…He's here now?"** Elijah asked him.

"**Soon…Very soon…"** Damarco confirmed to him. **"You have a warlock with you…An older man…He'll be your saviour!"**

"**He can't…" **Elijah replied, while shaking his head.

"**Because he's under a curse, and he can't save you…He's been forbidden to save supernatural species more than three times…"** Damarco said to Elijah.

"**No, he can't, but he did…"** Elijah replied to him.

"**And, he will again! But, this time he'll be protected…"** The sorcerer explained to Elijah. **"Now…Let me continue…"** He added to Elijah.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Miss Katherine pierce…I swear, If you're not answering me in the following ten seconds, I'll change you into a sheep the moment I find you!"<strong> Charles screamed from the top of his lungs, while pushing with his hands the disgusting green substance that he was diving into, up to mid chest, only seeing a deep fog surrounding him, before suddenly feeling a hand reaching for his forearm, making him jumped in the air by surprise. **"Oh, for God sake, you almost give me a heart attack!"** Charles said to Katherine, who was now standing in front of him.

"**What is this place, Charles?"** Katherine asked him, while putting both of her hands on his forearms.

"**Well, Miss Katherine, if you would have giving me five seconds…Before, diving head first into troubles, once again…I would have explain this to you!"** Charles replied to her, while closing his eyes, and counting to ten, to clam himself down.

"**Well…"** Katherine asked him, while holding tightly to his arms. **"…Ok, I'm not easily freaked out…Vampire and all…But this is freaking the shit out of me! What is this place, Jack Sparrow land?"**

"**Who? Who's Jack Sparrow?" **Charles asked Katherine.

"**You're kidding right?" **She asked Charles, while raising one of her eyebrows, and rolling her eyes.** "The film, Pirates of the Caribbean?"**

Charles shook his head, while shrugging his shoulders.

"**For God sake…"** Katherine exclaimed to him, before seeing Charles smirking and winking at her. **"Oh…Not funny, Charlie…"** She busted at him, while hitting one of his arm with her right fist.

"**Well, Miss Katherine…I thought that we needed to light up the mood!"** Charles said to her, before holding her shoulders with both of his hands. **"Because, what you're about to experience won't be a walk in the park…" **

"**What is this place? And what is happening…We can barely see the blue Jamaican sky, we are surrounded by fog …And I have no idea, in which direction to go?" **Katherine asked Charles.

"**We are on the land of the last Jamaican voodoo sorcerer…" **Charles explained to her.

"**What? Why?" **Katherine asked him.

"**Master Elijah thought that he needed ammunition to go against his brother…" **Charles explained to her.

"**Charles…How do we get out of here?"** Katherine asked him.

"**We can't …If I understood correctly…It's a passage through our soul…It's a way for the sorcerer to see in the deepness of our good and bad actions, in our past and future…" **Charles explained to her.

Katherine lowered her head, while feeling tears coming into her eyes.

"**We'll go through it together…"** Charles said to her, while taking her right hand in his. **"…Ok?"** He asked her.

She nodded her head, while squeezing his hand, before seeing flashes of images, horrible mirages memories attacking her subconscious.

* * *

><p>Charles arrived at the cabin, slamming the door open with his bare foot, while carrying Katherine's unconscious body in his arms.<p>

"**What happened, Mister Charles?"** Oniel asked Charles.

"**She fainted…" **Charles said to Oniel, before seeing Elijah rushed in the room, and taking Katherine body from Charles arms.

"**She's stubborn as it can get!"** Elijah mumbled angrily in his teeth, while lowering Katherine's body on the wooded floor, before caressing Katherine hair. **"What happened?"**

"**She could not go through it!"** Charles said to Elijah, while shaking his head.

Damarco appeared beside them, while nodding his head to Charles, and kneeling near Katherine's laying body.

"**She could not handle the past…The death of her human family…And her own death….She's resentful to you, **_Elijah Mikaelson_.**" **The voodoo sorcerer said to him.

"**Can you help her? Please?" **Elijah asked him, while lowering his head.

Damarco nodded his head to Elijah, before putting one of his hands on her forehead.

"**I liberate her of the memory of her family that she just had…And the one of her own human death…"** He said to Elijah.

Elijah rose on his feet, while passing a nervous hand on his hair.

"**She'll be ok, Son…"** Charles murmured to him, while nodding his head to him.

* * *

><p>When Katherine regained her conscious state of mind, she straightened her upper body in a sitting position, while holding her head with her two hands, before being help by Elijah to rise on her feet, while sliding one of his hand and arm around her waist, to help her stand.<p>

"**Pass your arm around my neck…"** He murmured in her ear, while helping her, and adding in a whisper. **"…Don't you ever do that to me again, stubborn woman…Are you ok? Do you remember where you are?" **

"**I'm ok…I was in the marsh pond with Charles…And, we were trying to find you and Oniel…And he explained to me…And then…I forgot…" **Katherine murmured back to him. **"Where's Charles?"**

"**It's ok!"** He replied, while smiling at her. **"He's with **_Damarco_**, the Jamaican voodoo sorcerer."** Elijah explained to him.

"**Are you ok, tropical princess?"** Oniel asked her, while lowering his head in front of her.

"**I'm ok, Oniel!"** She replied, while timidly smiling to him.

* * *

><p>Charles was standing in front of <em>Damarco<em> with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"**You're a very powerful warlock, **_Charles Brownston_**…"** Damarco said to Charles.

"**I used to be…"** Charles replied to him.

"**You still are!"** Damarco answered him. **"But you were cursed in the past! The curse whisper that, until your human life will be over, you can only save with your magic, three more lifes of supernatural nature, including the ones of vampires…And you already saved the one of the young woman, standing in the other room…You have only two more lifes to save by magic, before loosing your own!" **

"**Not even one…I saved them both, recently, in a fire…" **Charles said to the sorcerer, while lowering his head. "**My life should have been taken already…"**

Damarco laughed, while showing his toothless smile.

"**My friend…But, that time was a blessing in disguise…"** He started explaining to him, while reaching Charles standing position. **"You see, a real life was present…An animal: A dog…Therefore, the curse took in consideration the life of the dog that you were trying to safe…And not the one of the two other supernatural forces…" **

"**Max!" **Charles exclaimed, while smiling, shaking his head in disbelief, and adding.** "I never thought of that…" **

"**But, you can't save more than one supernatural life…If you do; you'll die while trying to save the last one!" **Damarco repeated to him.

"**I know…"** Charles said to him, while lowering his head.

"**In the next days…You'll need my help! I'll protect you from the curse, I'll give you my power…You'll need to go against a devil force to protect them!"** Damarco said to him.

"**A sortilege…"** Charles asked him.

"**Yes! If you want the lady vampire to live…You'll do as I tell you!"** Damarco asked him.

"**I'll do it!"** Charles agreed, while nodding his head to him.

* * *

><p>Charles pushed the curtain open, before taking a few steps to reach Elijah, Oniel &amp; Katherine.<p>

"**Are you ok?"** Katherine asked him.

"**Yes, I am, Miss Katherine…"** He responded, while smiling at her.

Katherine nodded to him, before raising her head and seeing Damarco limping with his injured leg, toward her, while lowering his head near hers, and locking his glass eye in her scared gaze.

"**Take care of the young child; he'll need you all his life!"** He simply said to her, making her feel goosepumbs all over her body.

Damarco walked toward the cabin door, before opening it, and showing them to leave, with a hand gesture.

They went outside, before finding themselves in front of a peaceful creek, with crystal blue, lagoon water, while seeing clearly the jeep on the other side of the bank.

"**What happen to the marsh pond, and the fog?"** Katherine murmured to them, in pure state of shock.

"**A tormented mind only sees what it wants to see…"** They heard Damarco murmured to them, before turning on themselves and finding that the cabin and Damarco had disappeared in front of their eyes.

* * *

><p><em>Jamaica, Montego Bay - Airport<em>

An intense suffocating heat was filling the air of the small airport of Montego Bay, several travelers were placed in line, in front of the custom counters, after their plane had just landed, while fanning themselves with pieces of papers, or anything that they could find in this confine place, where it was getting difficult to breathe.

"**Good morning, Demery"** A Jamaican custom agent said to his co-worker, while taking his place behind his custom counter.

"**Good morning, Karam!"** The other man answered him, while brushing the transpiration from his forehead, with the back of his hand. **"The air conditioning broke!"**

"**For the hundred time this month…"** Demery answered him, while laughing, and opening his computer screen in front of him. **"England?"**

"**Yes! The plane just landed one half hour ago…"** Karam answered him, while nodding his head in direction of the travelers group placed in lines in front of them. **"Look at them, they want vacation in a hot tropical Island…But they look like they're going to die from the heat!"** He said to him, while shaking his head, and bursting into laughter.

"**Same old, same old…"** His colleague answered, with a smile, while raising his head to the ceiling. **"Why is the ceiling fans are not working?" **

"**Oh yes! That…." **Karam responded to him, with a laughable tone of voice, before adding. **"…Electrical short circuit happened with the ceiling lamps and the fans!"**

"**Just peachy…We'll welcome tonight's flight arrivals with candle lights!"** Demery responded to his colleague friend, while taking away the "close" counter sign, before gesturing with his hands, to the first travelers in front of him. **"Could you present your passports, please?"** He asked the old couple, who walked toward the custom counter.

A little boy in line was grabbing the right leg of his mother while fixating his stare on a man that was standing behind them.

"**Sam, could you let go of my leg, for God sake, mummy is sweating like a pig!"** The mother said to his son, while fanning herself with the book in her hands.

"**I'm scare of that man, mummy!"** The little boy replied, while continuing to fix the man behind then.

"**Let go of my leg!"** The mother replied, while pushing her son away from her, and turning to look at the man behind her, and of course, at first sight nothing was very scary about the young man who was standing behind them. He was actually good looking. **"I'm sorry!"** She said to the man, while smiling to him, and adding. **"It must be the heat, and the long flight, usually he is not behaving that way…" **

"**Not a problem!" **The man answered her, with a seductive smile, his eyes covered by sunglasses. **"Have a lovely day, and a safe vacation!" **He added to her, with a sarcastic smirk.

"**Thank you!"** The woman responded while pushing his little boy in front of her.

"**Next! …Sir, it's your turn!"** The custom agent called, with a hand gesture, while seeing the man approaching his counter, and handing his passport to him. Demery opened the passport, while looking at the passport picture and raising his sight with suspicion on the man. **"Could you remove your sunglasses, please, Sir?"** Demery asked the man to do.

The man took off his sunglasses, while locking his eyes with the custom officer's. Demery looked at the picture, before passing the passport in a detector machine, while looking at some information listed on his computer screen.

"**Your family name is Mikaelson, Sir?" **Demery asked him**. **

"**Yes!" **The man answered, while keeping his stare in his.

"**Could you wait a minute, please?" **Demery asked him, while walking away from his custom counter, and approaching his colleague Karam, murmuring in his ear, while showing the passport.** "This passport name: Mikael Mikaelson, was already in the system…He arrived from New York at 14:00 yesterday!" **

Karam looked at the passport, before nodding his head, while rising on its feet, and following his colleague to reach the man behind the counter.

"**Sir, if you could follow us for a short moment, please…We'll have a couple of questions to ask you?" **Both custom men asked the suspicious man to do.

"**What about gentlemen?" **The man asked them, while holding his hands in front of this chest, and smirking at them.

"**Simple safety procedures…"** Karam replied to him, while grabbing one his arms.

"**Let go of my arm!"** The man said to him, while locking his eyes in Karam's, adding in a murmur, with a smirk on his face. **"Now, I'll follow you…But, let go of my arm!" **

The custom agent let go of his arm, while starting to walk, with his colleague at his side, toward an office room, before entering inside, and letting the man enter while holding the door, and closing it behind them.

"**Mummy….Did you see?"** The little boy said to his mother, while pulling on her pants, before adding. "**The man was taken by the two custom agents!" **

The two men stood still in front of the passenger of the flight 457 from England, while being compel to do so.

"**Now, gentlemen …That was certainly not a nice welcome me in your country, was it?"** Klaus said to both men, before transforming into his vampire self, reaching to grab one of the men by his arm, before viciously entering his fangs into his pumping vein in the right side of the man's neck, taking rapid gulps to satisfy his present hunger, till his victim was lying on the floor, at his feet, in a bloodless state.

Klaus swept the blood away from his mouth, while approaching the other man and compelling him even more:

"**Now…My name is **_Klaus Mikaelson_**, and not **_Mikael Mikaelson_**…I despite and hate that man! But his bloody name is handy to me…Do you understand!" **He lashed out at a near inch of the face of the officer, who nodded his head in obedience, before watching Klaus pacing back and forth in the small room, passing a nervous hand though his hair, before lowering his head to get a grasp at his anger, placing both of his hands on each side of his waist, before adding. **"You won't remember my presence here, or the way your friend died…You'll let me go by stamping my passport, and you will wish me a nice stay in Jamaica!" **

The man nodded his head to him, before reaching the door, opening it, and walking toward his counter, with Klaus following him close behind.

"**Everything seems to be in order, Mister **_**Klaus Mikaelson**_**!"** Karam, the custom officer said to him, before stamping his passport, and handing it to him, with a smile. **"Have a nice stay, in Jamaica!" **

"**Well…Thank you very much! And I intend to have a nice stay!" **Klaus replied to the compel man, with a smile on his face, while taking in his right hand, the leather luggage placed near his feet, and walking toward the exit of the custom section of the airport, before adding while passing the sliding exit doors and putting back his sunglasses on his nose. **"I think I will like my stay, very much!"**

* * *

><p>Katherine entered Elijah's bedroom, while reaching his standing position in front of the open French doors that were leading to the balcony. His stare lost in the beauty of the ocean, with only the noise of the ceiling fan to fill the peaceful silence of the room.<p>

"**I did not find my clothes and my personal belongings in my bedroom …"** She said, while slowly approaching him and nervously rubbing her hands together, not certain that last night had change something in her sleeping arrangement.

"**I asked Thamika to put everything in here…"** He answered her, with a smile, while handing his right hand to her, that she took without hesitation, before being pulled in the warm of his arms, her back glued to his chest, with his hands an arms encircling her waist, and his head resting on her right shoulders. **"…If this is bothering you, I can ask her to put your things back in your bedroom?"** He asked her, while murmuring in her ear, to which she shook her head in negation, while closing her eyes, and raising her right hand to caress his cheek.

"**You're sure?"** He whispered to her, his lips near her ear, to which she nodded in affirmation.

"**Mm…If only you could always be so obedient…It would be heaven for me!"** He mockingly said to her, before receiving her elbow in his stomach, making him burst into laughter.

"**Watch what you are saying…." **She said to him, falsely outraged, before adding.** "…I want to be here…I don't mind sharing the bedroom with you, but don't get any ideas!"** She responded to him, in a mocking tone of voice, while closing her eyes and smiling, before adding more seriously. **"I'm so afraid; Elijah…What happened this afternoon scared me!" **

"**I know…" **Elijah replied to her, while kissing her right cheek.** "…Who's the child that Damarko talked to you about?' **

"**His name is Theodore…He's so little, and strong, and fragile at the same time…But, I don't want to bother you with this" **Katherine said to him, while shaking her head, and making him take a look at her with surprise. It was the first time that he was witnessing a maternal side in Katherine Pierce.

"**Katherine?" **He called her, while taking her chin in his hand, and turning her head to stare in her eyes, before adding.** "Talk to me…You can trust me." **

Katherine swallowed a lump in her throat, before lowering her sight.

"**I met him in the orphanage when I was accompanying Elizabeth on Christmas day…I got lost in the corridors, and I find his nursery…He's a special little boy…But, he was mistreated in the orphanage, for what I could tell..." **

"**No!" **Elijah replied to her, while shaking his head, before adding.** "I can't believe this…I have known Sister Marie Rose for years now…She would not harm a young child that way!" **

"**It's complicated…" **Katherine responded to him, before adding.** "I am not saying that he is not fed, or properly dressed…The nuns are just afraid of him…And, he's not receiving any love or care." **

"**They are afraid of what? He's a baby, for God sake!" **Elijah asked her.

"**He's disfigured…"** Katherine explained to him.

"**That's not enough of a reason to not show respect to this orphan…"** Elijah responded to her, while closing his arms tighter around her.

"**There's other stuff…"** Katherine continued explaining to him.

"**Tell…"** Elijah asked her.

"**I think that child has supernatural power…"** She murmured to Elijah, while turning her head to look at him.

"**What make you say that?"** Elijah said to her in surprise.

"**When I was in the nursery…I saw objects moving around."** She said to him, while locking her eyes with his.

"**Did you spoke to Charles about this?"** Elijah asked her.

"**I did…But, he had no idea at that time who I was talking about…"** Katherine confirmed to Elijah.

"**You want me to take a look at it, when we'll go back to England?"** Elijah asked her.

Katherine nodded her head, while smiling at him.

"**If you don't mind…I worry about him…I just feel connected to that little boy!"** She added to him, while shrugging her shoulders, before adding. **"I went back to visit him, when I thought that I was leaving England for good, but they forbid me access to see him!" **

"**I'll go! I promise this to you now…I will go to see him!" **He responded to her,while caressing her left cheek with his right hand.

"**Thank you!"** She whispered to him, while closing her eyes, and feeling a tropical breeze brushing her hair. It was the first time that she was giving her trust to a man, and it felt right, only because it was Elijah.

"**You're welcome…" **He murmured to her, while taking her chin in his hand, and kissing her tenderly on the lips.

* * *

><p><em>England, Chester City<em>

Sister Marie Rose raised her head from her desk, and the papers that she was signing, when the sound of the office door, being suddenly open, startled her. She raised one of her eyebrows, before standing behind her desk, while watching one of her novice nun showing the way inside to a tall, thin, dark long hair woman, entering inside her office.

"**Miss Elise? That is an unexpected visit…"** Sister Marie Rose said to her, before adding. **"…More so, if I may add…at this late hour of the evening!"**

"**Sister Marie Rose!"** Elise greeted the chief nun, while getting rid of her black leather gloves, by pulling them one finger at a time, and staring at the old woman, with a devious look in her eyes.

"**What is bringing you here, my child?"** The sister asked her, while standing in a reserve position in front of Elise. **"I heard about your husband death, my prayers are with him!"** She added to her, while lowering her head in respect.

"**Yes…It was an unfortunate incident, Sister!"** Elise replied to her, before putting her gloves in her Channel haute couture bag, while taking a big yellow envelope from its inside.

"**So, what can I do for you, my child?"** Sister Marie Rose asked her.

"**It's more what can I do for you, Sister!"** Elise answered her, while slowly sliding the said yellow envelope on Sister Marie Rose's desktop.

The nun looked at it, but stayed on her standing position, whit her hands crossed in front of her chest.

"**I heard that you were experiencing certain financial difficulties at the orphanage. Something about major repairs that needed to be done on the roof, parts of the ceilings were leaking in the children's bedrooms, and a child was almost killed when one of the said parts almost fell on him one night." **She said to the nun, while tilting her head, with a Machiavellian smile.

"**You certainly are aware, and in touch, with a lot of information, miss Elise!"** Sister Marie rose said to her, while closing her fists in desperation, and God forgive her, also in anger.

"**I certainly like to be informed, Sister Marie Rose!"** Elise added to her, while smirking. **"Of course, I have the orphanage at heart…and its poor children even more so!"**

"**I can assure you that I have these children at heart also!"** Sister Marie Rose replied to her, adding. **"And that our difficulties will be conquered with the help of God, like always!" **

"**Yes…But…"** Elise replied to her, before adding. **"...It would be easier for you to accept a Samaritan hand, would it? And the large amount of money that it could provide?" **

"**Depending of what the **_Samaritan hand_** would want in return?" **Sister Marie Rose replied to her, while standing in a straighter position, and locking her eyes with hers, in a confrontational gesture.

"**You're going right to the point, aren't you, Sister?"** Elise replied to her, while tilting her head, and raising one of her eyebrows. **"I'll go right to the point, myself, then…You'll find the amount of 50,000 Euros in the envelope, more than enough for you to repair this unfortunate leaking on the roof and a large extra to make sure that the children are well fed…."** Elise explained to her, continuing. **"…Now, as an appreciation for my humble gesture toward the orphanage…I'll need a favour! I heard that one of Mister Elijah Mikaelson's maid, named Katherine Pierce, took a certain…how can I put it properly…Let say: interest toward one of the orphan." **

"**And you know perfectly well…I suppose that this child was brought in here, for safety by your own mother, **_Miss Elisa Perez_**!" **Sister Marie Rose replied to her, with a cold tone of voice.

Elise startled, before raising an angry stare in direction of the Sister, before sliding her hands on the desktop and bending her body over it, while locking her angry eyes with the nun.

"**You know who I am?" **She simply replied, more as a statement, then a question, adding.** "Then, is that reason enough to give that child to me!"** Elise mumbled angrily in her teeth.

"**You mother gave that child to this orphanage as a safe place to find shelter…It was her way to try to give him some kind of a normal life away from the evilness of this world!" **Sister Marie Rose explained to her.

"**But, we both know that this child has already a part of evil in him! All children that were born from a curse are evil, Sister!" **Elise angrily replied to the nun.

"**It's not my place to judge!" **Sister Marie Rose replied to her, adding.** "God love is not divided in many ways among his children on earth!" **

"**Then it should not be divided between me and my mother!" **Elise angrily replied to Sister Marie Rose. **"I want the custody of that child!" **She lashed out, while hitting her close fists on the desk, adding.** "In return, you'll be fully compensated for your …let say, help, in this delicate matter!"**

"**I made a promise to your mother…I have to see with her, if she will agree to these conditions." **Sister Marie Rose explained to Elise, while backing up slowly away from the other side of her desk.

"**That will be kind of difficult, Sister…"** Elise replied to her, with laughter in her voice, while straightening her body. **"…My mother is unfortunately deceased!"** She added to her, while titling her head, with an evil look in her eyes.

"**I…"** Sister Marie Rose started to respond, while putting a hand on her chest, before adding. **"I wasn't aware that she had passed away!"**

"**Yes…Terrible, terrible accident!" **Elise replied to her, with a smirk on her face.

"**You lost contact with your mother many years ago, how did you receive that news?" **Sister Marie Rose asked her.

"**Let just say that we rekindled our "mother – daughter" relationship, a few moments before her death!"** Elise briefly explained to the nun. **"Now…Let me rephrase more clearly, Sister, you'll hand to me that child…Or, it would be unfortunate that another incident, putting the life of the orphans, would occur once again in these walls? Don't you think? Because, you'll never know if these incidents are the act of God or the one of the devil?" **

Sister Marie Rose raised her sight on the young woman, while rubbing her hands together in nervousness.

"**Or perhaps, an act of your own witch actions, Miss Elise!" **Sister Marie Rose exclaimed, while making Elise blush, before adding. **"Your mother would be ashamed of you! This infant, if giving in wrong hands, could turn badly!"** Sister Marie Rose said to her.

"**It's not like my mother and I, were in good terms…Therefore, her opinion of me is relatively none existential, Sister…As for the child, he'll be taking care of!"** She replied to the sister, while staring at her, and waiting for her approval.

Sister Marie Rose reached her desk, before pushing the button of an interphone.

"**Sister Marie Clarence could you bring a novice to my office please…A…A child is leaving us tonight for a new home!"** The Sister said loudly, into the interphone box.

"**Now…"** Elise said to the nun, while reopening her hand bag, and sliding her leather gloves, back on her hands, adding. **"…That was a wise decision!"**

Sister Marie Rose took the yellow envelope in her hands, before walking around the desk, and reaching Elise standing position.

"**I won't take this money!"** The sister said to Elise, while handing the yellow envelope to her.

"**It's yours!"** Elise replied to Sister Marie Rose.

"**No…It's yours! And, the orphanage, the children, and myself, don't want anything to do with it!"** She replied coldly to Elise. **"You can be in the presence of the Devil Miss Elise, you can suffer from his actions, but you are not entitled to eat at his table!"** Marie Sister Rose said to her, in an implied sentence, while raising her chin in the air.

Elise startled at her saying, while closing her fists in anger, taking angrily the envelope from the Sister's hands, before turning on her feet to reach the office door, at the moment the door was open by a novice nun.

"**May God bless you, Sister Marie Rose?" **She sarcastically replied to the Sister.

"**No, my child…" **Sister Marie Rose replied to her.** "…May God forgive you one day! Bring her to the young Theodore nursery…He's leaving us today!" **

Elise turned on herself, before giving a last angry stare at the Sister, before following into the corridors the young novice.

Elise was brought into a numerous, of dark and sinister corridors, before finally reached a lost corner, where the novice nun pushed a door.

She opened a switch light on the wall, before showing to Elise, with a hand gesture, to enter inside the modest nursery. Elise took a few walking steps, while gesturing herself to one of Klaus's vampire man, to follow her inside, before bending her upper body over the crib, and grinning at the awful sight of the child.

"**Oh! He's even more despicable than I though!"** She mumbled with disdain in her teeth, before turning and looking at the man. **"Take him!"** She ordered him, before stepping out of the nursery.

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><p>Wow…wow…Wow…Did you see that one coming? (Winking at you all…)<p>

Hoping you enjoyed the chapter as much as I did! I am having a real blast writing the Jamaican parts, and know that I've put 100% of myself in them.

Can't wait to read you all, and thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for your unconditional love to this story.

Going back to my other two stories…Till next time: Take good care of yourself!


	16. Viva Jamaica Part III

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**- Lovely Vero - **

**Writer's note****: **First, my deepest apologies for taking so much time to update this chapter. I just started a new job, and it is taking all my energy and time, and I am very tired at the end of the day…That explain the lack of time for me to write….But, rest assure, my dear readers, that I will NEVER forget this story! I just ask of you to be patient with my updates, and understand that real life is taking first priority these days…In the up side, I will never lack in the quality of my chapters…This story and my readers deserve the best…And, it will always be that way…And my chapters are always as long…So, you're waiting a bit longer for it…But, you'll know that I will deliver a nice, wonderful, long chapter at some point!

It's sounding almost impossible, but this story is making me so happy and joyful with every chapter! I swear it is my feel good moment of the month for me! I hope it is doing the same for you, my dear readers, with each chapter coming your way…I am giggling with joy every time! Gosh, what can I say about this one…It's a sexier, funny…but darker chapter…Full of surprises, exchanges that you would not have seen coming…big cliff hanger at the end (what is new? LOL…For those who know me, and my style of writing – Winking at you), what else? Mm…HOT SEXYNESS AHEAD with a shower and dancing floor scenes! =) Enjoy…and have a blast while reading it! With this chapter we are closing the Jamaican part of this story; we're back in England in the next one – That will be a funnier one, but at the same time, a more adventurous/dangerous one also!

**Songs inspiration (Sexy Kalijeah scene)****:** Sexual healing – Marvin Gaye

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><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

**VIVA JAMAICA **

**PART 3 - "Music tempo on a heartbeat"**

* * *

><p>Katherine closed her eyes, facing the shower head, passing her hands through her wet wavy hair, while enjoying the refreshing waterfall sliding erotically on her sensitive breasts, trailing on her tone belly, before cooling down the intense fire in her feminine center. She smiled, while feeling two strong hands sliding on her waist, skin of a muscular chest caressing, sensually, her own back skin, hot and avid lips sliding on the right side of her shoulder, while devouring her neck in slow, burning, intense kisses.<p>

"**Mm….That's nice."** She mumbled to Elijah, while putting her own hands on his forearms, and slowly passing the tip of her tongue on the length of her bottom lips, feeling his hands reaching the roundness of her breasts.

"**I did not see you leave the bed…"** He murmured in her ear, while nibbling her lobe, and slowly stroking her breast nipples, creating a wave of intense pleasure in all her body.

"**It's because I've exhausted you…You were sleeping."** She answered him, with a mocking tone in her voice.

"**It's the other way around, woman…And you know it!"** He whispered to her, while lowering his right hand on her stomach, in slow, calculated, erotic movements, before sliding his fingers on her center, to feel the intensity of her desire for him, while gently robbing her sensitive, swollen part.

"**Oh Elijah…"** She murmured to him, while raising her right arm and hand to slide her fingers in his wet hair, while opening her mouth, closing her eyes, and moaning sounds of pleasure.

"_**Oh mon tendre amour, tu me rends fou...**_**" **Elijah whispered in French in her ears, while devouring her skin on the right side of her neck, and sliding, in a back and forth movement, his fingers on her softness and intense wetness.

"**What did you just say?"** She asked him, before opening her eyes, and turning her head to stare at him.

"**More than five hundred years as a vampire and you still don't know French?"** Elijah sarcastically answered her, while smirking and gently detaching himself from her, before reaching for a bottle of shower gel on a wooded shelf and putting the bubbly liquid on a sponge bath.

"**Well…"** Katherine started, while pouting at him, and lowering her back on the shower ceramic wall. **"I know: **_Bonjour, Orevoir, comment allez-vous_**? " **She listed to him. **"I did not have time to learn French, I was hiding and running away from you and your psycho brother remember?" **She added to him, while passing her tongue to him.

"**Wow! You know French…" **He mockingly said to her, before adding, while lowering his head near hers, and staring into her eyes.**"I'm surprised that you don't know: **_Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir_**?" **

"**Oh that one, I know!" **She replied, while nodding her head, and smirking back at him. **"I learned that sentence in my baby cradle!" **She mockingly replied, while winking at him, to which he busted into laughter, before adding:

"**That I can believe…"** He replied to her, before crashing his mouth on hers, in expert and sensual exchange of kisses, while tasting her mouth, sliding his tongue between her lips, before passing its tip on the length of her bottom lips, hearing her moan his name in top of his lips, slowly detaching himself and grabbing the sponge, before sliding it on her shoulders, while feeling her hands caressing his muscular chest. **"…How can I concentrate on my present task, if you're caressing me this way, **_Katerina_**?"** He asked her, while sliding the sponge on her breasts, slowly circling their roundness, making Katherine close her eyes, and sighing in pure delight.

"**Sometimes, I'm scare of what you're making me feel."** She whispered to him, while reopening her eyes and staring into his.

"**Why?"** He asked her, while sliding the sponge on her tone belly, from one side of her hips, to the other side.

"**Because…"** She tried to explain, before lowering her sight away from him, and blushing.

"**Because what?"** He whispered to her, while holding his task for a moment, and raising her chin, to make her look at him.

"**Because, you make a part of me come to life…And I am not at ease with that part."** Katherine confessed to him.

"**What part is that, **_Katerina_**?"** Elijah asked her, while caressing her cheeks.

"**The **_grown up woman_** part…"** She whispered to him, while lowering her sight away from his, and making Elijah smile, before sweet kissing her on the lips.

"**Look at me…"** He asked her, while raising her chin one more time. **"…So, now you can tell me!"** He added to her, while smirking.

"**Tell you what?"** Katherine asked him, in a whisper, and in surprise.

"**That I am the **_**one**_** who's rocking your world…"** Elijah whispered back in her right ear, making her turn her head to look at him.

"**I never thought you were the **_Ego__centric_** one?"** She mockingly answered him. **"You're so full of yourself, Elijah!"**

"**I have my moment, like every man, I guess…"** He responded to her, while smiling and sliding the sponge on her bottom, between her legs, washing and caressing the tender part of her thighs, while never reaching her burning hot center.

"**Well, there were a lot of men in my life…But, you are certainly in the top ten of my list!"** She informed him, while biting her lips to not burst into laughter.

"**You don't say!"** He told her, while throwing the sponge on a wooded shelf, before turning her in his arms to face him, while grabbing her bottom, and elevating Katherine on the ceramic wall, before sliding his erected length between her legs, and positioning its hardness in her pulsating feminine center, without fully entering in her.

"**Oh, Elijah…"** She murmured to him, before closing her eyes and grabbing forcefully his shoulders, while scratching his skin back with her nails. **"…Take me, please**!" She begged him to do, while lowering her pelvis, trying to coat him with her walls, but without succeeding.

"**Well…."** He answered her, in a mocking tone of voice, while retracting himself even more. **"…I'm barely qualified to fulfill you, Katerina…Only being in the top ten of your list, and not the first, top one! I couldn't make you suffer that way…It would be like cheating your high standard" **He added as a murmur in her left ear, making her open her eyes, and bit her lips, before staring into his eyes.

"**I hate you!"** She mumbled to him, falsely mad. **"You're going to make me beg, aren't you?"** She asked him.

"**Oui, oui…."** He replied in French, while smirking, and before bursting into laughter.

"**Fine…"** She replied to him, before adding. **"…You rock my world…You're the best sex I ever had in all my life! Satisfy?" **She asked him, while pouting.

"**Extremely…"** He mockingly answered her, while smiling heavenly, before slowly sliding his hard self inside her silky, wet, and inviting walls, in a slow, deep thrusting, while kissing the tenderness of her neck skin, and hearing her mumbled sound of pleasure, before increasing his speed and deepness in her, carrying both of them toward the release of their sexual tension, before crashing his mouth on hers.

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><p>"<strong>Ah Thamika, here you are!" <strong>Charles greeted her, with the biggest smile on his lips, before adding.** "I dreamed of this breakfast all night!"** He added to the Jamaican woman, while lowering his newspaper on the table, and rubbing both of his hands together.

Thamika raised one of her eyebrows suspiciously at Charles, before dropping the plate full of eggs in front of him, with a toast and jelly on the side, on a smaller one.

"**I've put a jelly toast on the side of your eggs, like you asked me, Mister Charles."** Thamika said to him, while nodding her head, before adding while rolling her eyes. **"You're sure you'll be able to eat all of that?"**

"**Thamika, my dear, you helped me discover a new man in me this past week …I'm for ever grateful to you…I have an appetite of an ogre now!" **Charles exclaimed to her, while pecking in his eggs.

"**Mm…."** Thamika mumbled, still suspicious of Charles's behaviour, while crossing her arms in front of her chest. **"…Then, I did my job well, Mister Charles. I am feeding the men of the house the right way!" **

"**Oh, you're feeding alright, my dear…Look at me; I'm like a joyous lark now!" **Charles said to her, while biting into his jelly toast with full teeth.** "Would you be an angel, and prepare me a cup of English tea?" **He asked her, while tilting his head.

"**I'll go prepare a kettle of hot water…"** Thamika responded to him, while smiling heavenly. Her day was starting on the right foot, enough to make her whistle the note of a Jamaican song on her way back inside the house.

Charles scanned the horizon, before smiling heavenly, rising on his feet, with the plate full of eggs, before going down the patio stairs, and kneeling on the sand.

"**Good boy!"** He said, while caressing the head of the lost dog, which came now every morning to receive a well deserved breakfast.

After feeding the animal, he got up, and looked at the dog that was joyfully running toward the ocean, before slowly walking back toward the patio, while taking his cell phone from one of his cargo pants pocket, and looking at his screen. Elizabeth had not called him since almost two days, and he was worrying that something could have happen…Since his arrival to Jamaica, she had called him religiously every night around 3:00 a.m.

No missed calls? He put back his cell phone in his pocket, while reaching the patio table, and dropping the plate on the table, while staring at the ocean, before reaching for his cell phone once again, and composing Elizabeth's. It rang several times, before she finally picked up the call.

"**Hello Charles!"** She said to him, in a mocking tone of voice.

"**Oh…Elizabeth, I'm so sorry to disturb you …But, I was just…Well….I was wondering…"** Charles mumbled nervously to her, while passing a nervous hand through his hair.

"**You were?"** Elizabeth questioned him, while retaining her laughter.

Charles suddenly raised his head, while freezing his gesture on the spot, and slowly turning on himself.

"**Good morning, Charles!"** Elizabeth said to him, with the biggest smile on her face, while standing on the patio, in front of him, with her cell phone in her hand.

"**Elizabeth!"** Charles exclaimed, completely stunned, while putting his own phone on the patio table. **"What…What are you doing here? I mean in Jamaica?" **

"**Poor Charles…You seem completely taking by this…It is like you've seen a ghost!" **She responded to him, while blushing, and taking a few steps to reach his standing position.

"**Taking by this?"** Charles exclaimed, while passing a quick and nervous hand through his hair, before walking back and forth in front of her standing position and adding. **"My dear, one minute I'm calling you overseas on my cell phone and the next you are materializing in front of my eyes!" **

"**I know…It must be a shock to you!" **Elizabeth replied to him, while rubbing her hands nervously, and smiling timidly to him. **"Oh it's so beautiful in here!"** She added, while putting her hands on the ramp patio, before looking at the ocean view in front of her.

"**A shock, Elizabeth? I'm speechless…."** Charles said to her, completely dumfounded. **"I don't understand…"** He added to her.

"**I…I saw you by the window, a few minutes ago, giving your breakfast to this poor lost dog…Charles, you are acting like a teenager!"** Elizabeth mockingly said to him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, and smirking at him. She was wearing a beautiful coral summer dress, with her hair raised in a loose bun on top of her head, and she was standing bare feet on the patio. Charles blushed, before lowering his head…She was so beautiful, and he was indeed acting like a teenager.

"**You know me, my dear…I've never had a big appetite for breakfast!" **He responded to her.

"**I know…A toast with a little bit of orange marmalade and a cup of English tea!"** She responded, while smiling at him.

"**You noticed that?"** Charles asked to her, while lowering his head and blushing. What was happening to him? He was blushing like a young man!

"**Well…I've notice a lot of things over the years, Charles…"** She answered him, while turning her head to look at the ocean. **"I guess I owe you an explanation…But it happened so quickly that I've been taken into a whirlwind of emotions myself."** She started explaining to him, before adding. **"My sister Carla took the children to a vacation at a ski resort in Switzerland…Even if it is in the middle of their school year, I did not have the heart to say no to them…With the sad recent event that they had to go through…Max is with Gardie, don't worry about the dog, it's in good hands…I find myself all alone in the empty house, and I received a phone call from Master Elijah regarding the construction work on the Manor, which by the way is advancing quite nicely…And, he basically told me that I needed a well deserved vacation myself, and the next thing I knew, I was receiving the plane tickets deliver at my door step to come here!" **

Charles raised a suspicious eyebrow, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**It's indeed very kind of him…He's always been a gracious man."** He replied to her, while thinking in the meantime that something sounded very suspicious to him, and he would not be surprised if that something was named: _Katherine Pierce_! But then again, even if Miss Katherine was more than aware of his attraction to Elizabeth, she was in her own weird ways…Very respectful of it…Something else was happening…And he intended to find out. **"Now….Let's try this one more time, my dear: what is the real reason that you are here?"** He asked her, before leaning his body on the ramp, and crossing his arms in front of his chest, making Elizabeth blush.

"**I don't know what you mean, Charles…"** She answered him, while avoiding looking at him in the eyes.

"**Elizabeth?"** Charles asked her, for the second time, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**Master Elijah's brother…"** She started explaining to Charles, while rubbing her hands together and explaining. **"…He had sent his vampire men, threatening my children!" **She finally told Charles.

"**Damn it!"** Charles exclaimed, while pacing back and forth in front of her, before passing a nervous hand through his hair. "**Did her threat you also?"** He asked her, while grabbing her by the shoulders, and locking his stare in hers.

"**No, I'm fine, Charles…Really, I am…I was just worry for my children, and I contacted Master Elijah…And he made some arrangements for their safety."** She explained to him.

"**So, they are not in Switzerland?"** He asked her, while releasing his grip on her, before seeing Elizabeth shake her head in negation. **"No, I just know that they are safe!"**

"**Good!" **He responded to her, while nodding and turning his back at her, and staring at the Ocean in front of him. "**You'll be safer with us here also."** He added to her.

"**I hope I am not too much of an inconvenience for you?"** She asked him.

"**Why would you say that, Elizabeth?"** He answered, while turning his head to look at her.

"**Well…You don't seem happy to see me?" **She asked him, while loosing her smile.** "Never mind, I understand!"** She mumbled to him, while turning her head, and raising her chin, in a sudden changed of mood.

"**Elizabeth?"** Charles called her, without seeing her move a muscle.

"**I perfectly understand if you are disturbed by my presence here…I will try to avoid being in the middle of your activities, to not be an inconvenient to you!"** She responded to him, while standing straight, and holding her hands together.

"**No, no…That is not what I meant!"** Charles replied to her, while trying to close the hole that he was putting himself into, before reaching her standing position, putting both of his hands on her shoulder, and gently turning her to face him. **"Elizabeth…"** He started saying to her, while locking his stare with hers.

"**No need to pity me, Charles, really…"** She answered him, while raising her chin.

"**Pity you? Oh my dear, I could never do that!"** Charles responded to her, while slowly taking a strand of her hair, and putting it behind her left ear, making her startle with surprise**. "I was taking by surprise…But a nice one…It's actually nice to see you here, and it will be my pleasure to pass some quality time with you, but I'm mad that you had to be in danger, because of this all situation." **He explained, while smiling at her.

"**You want to pass time with me?"** Elizabeth asked, while smiling timidly to him, and raising one of her eyebrows.

Charles let go of his grip on her shoulders, before blushing, and clearing his throat.

"**Well, I am not against it…"** He simply responded to her, while passing a nervous hand on his hair, and avoiding looking at her in the eyes.

"**Here's you tea, Mister Charles!"** Thamika said to him, while putting a fresh cup of tea on the table and adding. **"Ms. Elizabeth, what can Thamika prepare for you today?"** The Jamaican woman asked her, while wiping her hands on her apron.

"**Fresh fruits salad, toasts with a bit of butter, and a cup of tea would be fine, Thamika…"** Elizabeth responded, while smiling at her, before adding. **"…But I can certainly prepare it myself, if you show me the way to the kitchen." **

"**None sense, Ms. Elizabeth…You are one of the guess in Master Elijah house now, and in vacation…I will prepare it, and bring it to you in a short moment." **She reassured Elizabeth, before turning her sight on the table, and noticing Charles empty plate, while opening her eyes widely. **"Mister Charles, you already ate all your eggs? But you really are an ogre!" **She exclaimed to Charles, while taking the plate in her hands, making Elizabeth turn hear head, and giggling in silence.

"**I told you my dear Thamika, you have transformed me into a new man!"** Charles replied to her.

"**I'll have no other choice but to put more eggs tomorrow…"** Thamika replied to him, while nodding her head and entering the house, in direction of the kitchen.

"**Do that, my dear, do that…"** Charles replied to her, while rubbing her hands together in a false gesture of joy, before sighing in relieve when she had disappeared from his sight.

"**Charles?"** Elizabeth said to him, while tilting his head and raising one of her eyebrows.

"**Don't look at me with these judgemental eyes, my dear Elizabeth… It was my only way out of this, believe me."** He responded to her, while pulling her a chair at the patio table.

"**Thank you…"** She said to his gesture, taking a few walking steps to sit down, while loosing her balance, and slipping on the floor wet by the morning dew, before feeling two strong arms encircling her waist, to help her keep her balance. **"Oh! I lost my balance for a second..."** She mumbled to Charles, before putting her hands on his chest. **"I'm so sorry!"** She added, while blushing, and raising her head, before drowning her sigh in his.

"**I got you…"** Charles murmured to her, while holding her tightly in his arms.

"**Yes, indeed you got me…"** Elizabeth responded to him, before blushing and being release very suddenly from his grip, while hearing him cough with shyness, before taking her own sitting position at the table.

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><p>Katherine turned the plastic wheels of the spyglass to clarify her distant vision, before smirking and exclaiming: "<strong>Got you now, Charlie!"<strong> while observing Charles and Elizabeth, walking along the beach.

"**Oh come on! Kiss her already, what are you waiting for?"** She exclaimed to herself, while taking another walking steps on the balcony, before startling, and feeling a strong hand grabbing the spyglass from hers.

"**What in hell?"** Elijah asked Katherine, while showing her the spyglass in front of her eyes.

"**What?"** She asked him, while crossing her hands behind her back, and jumping nervously from one foot to the other. **"I took a look at the ocean and the boats…And I saw quite a deserve species of birds also…" **She openly lied to him.

"**Birds…Really? Like hell you are looking at that!" **Elijah exclaimed to her, while grabbing her right forearm, and dragging Katherine inside the bedroom. **"You're spying on Charles and Elizabeth, aren't you?"** Elijah screamed at her, while throwing the spyglass on the bed, before putting his hands on each side of his waist.

"**Well spying is such a harsh way to put it; really…I see it more like: I'm looking out for them for their own good!" **She replied to Elijah, while smirking and nodding her head.

"**What is going on or not going on between them is not of your business, Katherine!"** Elijah replied to her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**Well at the speed Charles is going to court Elizabeth, he'll be dead before he will try to kiss her!"** Katherine replied to him, while gesturing with her hands.

"**Oh my God…"** Elijah exclaimed, while passing his right hand on his face. **"…Don't get in the middle of it!"** He ordered, while pointing a finger at her.

"**But…"** Katherine said to him, before being cut on her sentence.

"**But, nothing…You stay out of it! Elizabeth was brought in here for safety measures, not to flirt with Charles!"** Elijah explained to her, while shaking his head in negation.

"**Well, I'm sorry to say, but what they are doing on the beach now, it seems like flirting to me…Nothing to do with safety measures!"** Katherine replied to him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**Even if this is true, it's still not your business, Katherine!"** Elijah replied to her, while bending his head, and locking his eyes with hers.

"**Fine…."** She replied to him, while rolling her eyes, and pouting.

"**Now…"** He added to her, while turning her body around, and pushing her toward the bathroom door. **"Can you be a nice girl, put a nice dress, and I'll take you shopping in the nearest city?"**

"**You promise?"** She asked him, while smiling and turning her head to look at him.

"**I do promise!"** He replied to her, before sweet kissing her lips, and slapping her bottom. **"Go!"** He ordered her more, before seeing the bathroom door close in front of him.

He walked toward the bed, picked up the spyglass, before putting them away in a lock drawer of his desk. Then he directed his walking steps toward the French open door, before closing them, and turning to leave the bedroom…But, he suddenly hold his walking pace, and got back to the French door, before sliding the lace curtains on the side, and taking a quick look at Charles and Elizabeth, who where walking with their feet in the ocean water. He smiled, while approaching his face nearer to the window glass, before feeling two hands sliding around his waist.

"**What are you doing?"** Katherine sarcastically murmured into Elijah's right ear, with her lips placed on his lobe, making him startled, and dropping the lace curtain in an instant.

"**Nothing…"** He replied, while blushing and turning to face her.

"**Oh no, you won't get out of this so easily! Don't say that you were doing nothing to me!"** She replied, while pointing a finger at him, and seeing Elijah cross his arms in front of his chest, while smirking. **"You were totally checking them out on the beach!"**

"**I was totally not!" **He replied to her, before imitating her voice:** "I was looking at** **the Ocean and the boats, and I saw quite a deserve species of birds!" **He replied to her, while smirking, and taking a few walking steps toward the bedroom door.

"**Oh!"** She responded to him, while stamping her feet with anger on the wooded floor. **"You're such a liar, Elijah Mikaelson!"** She screamed at him, while seeing him pass the door arch and hearing his laugh.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Watch this…"<strong> Charles said to Elizabeth, while putting a hand on her left forearm, to hold her immobile, taking a small piece of bread from one of his pants pockets, before throwing breadcrumbs in the water.

"**What are you doing, Charles?"** Elizabeth asked him, while putting a hand as a visor in front of her eyes, to block the ray of the sunshine, before exclaiming with joy and surprise: **"Oh, look at them!" **

A range of multicolour fishes encircled their ankles, while eating greedily the breadcrumbs thrown at them.

"**Oh, it's so wonderful!"** She said to Charles, while smiling heavenly.

"**You want to try it yourself?"** Charles asked her, while giving her a piece of bread.

"**Oh, yes…Can I?" **Elizabeth asked him.

"**Of course you can…" **Charles answered her.** "Throw it in the water!" **He added before seeing her do it herself, and giggling with joy, while trying to push away a strand of hair that was coming back in her eyes. Charles caught the strand of hair in his right hand for her, before sliding it behind her left ear.

Elizabeth raised her sight on him, while smiling timidly, and saying: **"Thank you!"**

"**You're welcome…"** He answered her, while caressing her left cheek in an almost none noticeable caress.

"**Hello you two…"** Katherine screamed, while waving at them, and walking toward their standing position in the water.

"**Oh, Miss Katherine…"** Elizabeth exclaimed to her, while getting out of the water, and walking toward her. **"It's so nice to see you again!"** She added to her, while hugging her, before noticing Elijah on Katherine's foot trail. **"Oh master Elijah! It is so nice to see you also!" **Elizabeth exclaimed to him.

"**How are you Elizabeth? Did you have a nice flight?" **He asked her, while putting both of his hands in his cargo pant's pockets.

"**Yes, it was very nice…Thank you so much! And this…"** She said to him, while scattering the ocean. **"…It is marvellous, a real paradise!"**

"**Well, enjoy it!"** He answered her, while grabbing the left forearm of Katherine, and pulling her toward him. **"Now, excuse-us we're leaving!"**

"**What? No! I came to say hello to them!"** Katherine replied to Elijah, while squirming away from his grip.

"**Well, you just did…Now we're leaving!" **He ordered her.

"**Hello, Charlie!"** Katherine said to Charles, while elbowing him, making Charles rolled his eyes….He knew only one thing: the arrival of Miss Katherine meant the end of peace and quietness.

"**Miss Katherine…" **Charles saluted her, before crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**So…What are you two doing?"** She asked them, while pointing her finger at Charles and Elizabeth, and winking at Charles.

"**Charles just showed me how to feed bread to the fishes…"** Elizabeth explained to Katherine, while smiling heavenly.

"**Really…"** Katherine answered Elizabeth, while grinning and opening her eyes widely, before leaning near Charles's left ear and murmur: **"Feeding the fish, really?...Charlie, you're lacking on seduction techniques…Let me help you for God sake!" **

Charles blushed, before grabbing her left ear with his right hand, and pulling her while taking walking steps toward the opposite direction of the beach, in front of a mouth open Elizabeth, and a more than amused Elijah.

"**Miss Katherine, a word with you, if I may?" **He asked her, without waiting for her answer, before adding. **"Master Elijah, if you could keep company to Elizabeth for a quick moment?" **

"**With pleasure…" **Elijah responded to him, while holding his laughter.

"**Ouch!"** Katherine screamed at him.

"**Miss Katherine!"** Charles said to her, while letting go of his grip on her ear, before turning to face her, while putting both of his hands on each side of his waist, and closing his eyes to calm himself down.

"**What?"** She asked him, while rubbing her ear lobe.

"**I bet…I know…I can feel…"** He started saying to her, while pointing at her with each sentence.

"**Wow Charlie….You're blushing! How adorable…"** She exclaimed to him, while giggling, punching his left upper arm with her closed right fist, and jumping from one foot to the other in front of him.

"**Miss Katherine, stop putting romantic scenarios in your head about me and Elizabeth!"** He warned her. **"She's in Jamaica for her safety, and not to have a romantic getaway with me at her side! Her husband just died for God sake!"** He added to her, while gesturing with his arms.

"**It's so nice to see you getting so worked up over her!"** She replied to him, while giggling, and rubbing her hands together. **"Now, who cares about the why she is here…She is! Embrace the opportunity, and show her the passionate stallion that you are in bed!" **She added, while winking at him.

"**Oh, gracious Lord…"** Charles exclaimed, while closing his eyes and shaking his shoulders from the cold shiver that just passed through him. **"…You did not just say that!"** He added to her, while shaking his head.

"**Oh, stop being so English all the time…And embrace the passion inside of yourself!"** Katherine replied, while smiling at him and adding. **"You are obviously so infatuated by Elizabeth, and she is obviously by you…What is wrong with putting the two of you together in the middle of a tropical paradise, for you to finally…Well, you know…"** She added, while winking at him, and continuing. **"…To get some actions done".**

"**Oh my God…"** Charles exclaimed, before passing both of his hands on his face, and raising his head to look at the blue sky, while praying. **"…Give me the strength to not change Miss Katherine into a cow or something!" **

"**Hey!"** Katherine exclaimed to him. "**That is your way of thanking me for my help?"** She asked him.

"**This is completely uncalled for…"** Charles screamed at her.

"**I don't certainly see it that way…"** She answered him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**First….Elizabeth husband just died a few weeks ago…"** Charles started enumerating, while pacing back and forth on the sand, in front of her standing position.

"**Well…The man was dragging that poor woman to hell…And everybody surrounding her…Finally she is free! So I don't see any problem….Plus, Elizabeth had feelings for you way before her husband died…"** She explained to a mouth open Charles, before adding in a whisper. **"…Between you and me, the woman did not get any for many years!" **

"**Oh, my God…"** Charles exclaimed, while pacing a nervous hand through his hair, to erase the image that Katherine was putting in his head. **"…Miss Katherine, you have no right!" **

"**Says who?"** Katherine responded to him, before shrugging her shoulders, and adding while winking at him. **"The man is dead, who cares? So now, it is time to get things to shake up in the **_sak_** between you two, if you know what I mean!"**

Charles shook his head in disbelief before adding:

"**Second, Elizabeth is mourning her husband, she is fragile, and she feels lonely and abandoned…And please, believe me when I say that she has no romantic feelings toward me!" **Charles added to her, before seeing her open her mouth, and stopping her by shaking one of his fingers in front of her face, to show her to not say another word, before adding.** "Third, even if this was true, Elizabeth is still young enough to start a new life, with a young suitable man…She is only in her early forty, and I am in my late fifty…It's inappropriate!" **

"**You're not going to put the age thing on me, aren't you?" **Katherine asked him, while raising one of her eyebrows and shaking her head. **"She don't want a young man, Charlie, she wants you! A blind person would see it…It's so obvious! And did you look at yourself in the mirror lately…You're hot and sexy for your age!"** She added to him, while approaching him, and sliding her hands on his muscular chest. **"…And you have a tone body that a forty man would be jealous of…" **

Charles closed his eyes, while breathing deeply and counting to ten, before re-opening them, and taking her hands away from him.

"**Let just forget about this conversation, should we?" **

Katherine shrugged her shoulders, while rolling her eyes to the sky.

"**Fine…But don't forget that while the clock is ticking, you're not getting any younger…So, hurry up already!"** Katherine added to him.

Charles shook his head, while rolling his eyes.

"**You did not change your mind with the initial plan?"** Katherine asked him, in a more serious tone of voice.

Charles stood in front of the ocean with his hands in his pants pockets.

"**No"** He simply responded to her, while shaking his head, before adding. **"Not since your received Klaus's note!" **

"**I'm not afraid to die…" **Katherine responded to him, while lowering her head, before adding.** "If it is my time, it's my time…" **

"**Not on my watch, Miss Katherine…" **Charles responded to her, whilekeeping his stare at the horizon of the ocean.

"**But, you could easily put your life in danger, Charles …Especially with Damarco…And Elijah is going to be so mad at you for betraying him!"** She mumbled almost incoherently, while rubbing her hands together.

"**Master Elijah will be mad at both of us…"** Charles answered her, while shrugging his shoulders. **"…But for once, he can't be in the middle of this!"** He added, while turning his head and staring into her eyes.

"**I know…"** She answered him, while nodding her head and approaching him, before sliding her left hand around his right upper arm, bending her head on his right shoulder, and watching the ocean in silence at his side, while murmuring. **"Thank you!"**

* * *

><p>Elijah was walking along the beach with Elizabeth at his side.<p>

"**This is such a wonderful paradise, Master Elijah…And Oniel and Thamika are both adorable in their own ways!"** Elizabeth said to him.

"**They are certainly unique in their own style!"** Elijah replied, while winking at her, to which she smiled back at him.

"**How are things between you and Miss Katherine?"** Elizabeth asked him, before adding. **"…Oh, I'm so sorry, it's not obviously my business…It's so personal!"**

"**Don't worry about it…"** Elijah replied to her, while shaking his head, and adding. **"…Let just say that we reach some sort of a truce and calmer time in Jamaica!" **

"**Did you by any chance share your feelings about her?" **Elizabeth asked him.

Elijah stopped his walking pace, while turning his stare at Elizabeth, and placing himself in front of the ocean.

"**Nothing much to say about it…Katherine is…She is like a wild animal that you can't keep on a leash for very long."** He explained to Elizabeth.

"**And yet she stayed many months in the Manor?"** Elizabeth replied to him.

"**It was simply different...She felt obligated to stay!"** He simply answered her, while shrugging his shoulders.

"**I don't see Miss Katherine as the kind of young woman that is feeling obligated to do anything that she doesn't want to do."** Elizabeth answered him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**The time will come that she will leave…She is just like that!"** Elijah replied to Elizabeth.

"**Well…Then time will tell if you are right or not…Maybe, she will surprise you after all…"** Elizabeth told him, while putting a friendly hand on his right upper arm.

"**Tell me more about the Orphanage? What happen exactly?"** Elijah asked of her.

"**Well, I could not tell you much, Master Elijah…I received a phone call from Sister Marie Rose, who informed me that Miss Elise had paid her a visit, one day, very late at night…She demanded to see a young orphan named **_Theodore_**…And offered a substantial amount of money to leave the orphanage with the child in her arms, while threatening the orphanage and Sister Marie Rose if she would not agree to her conditions…In despair, Sister Marie Rose had no choice but to agree to give the child to this trouble young woman." **Elizabeth explained to him.

"**Don't tell a word of this to Katherine…" **Elijah asked Elizabeth, while shaking his head.** "… She would leave in the first plane back to England, and would fell into their trap in a matter of seconds…" **

"**I won't …" **Elizabeth told him, before adding.** "…But I don't like lying to her!" **

"**To keep her safe, we have no other choices…" **Elijah replied to Elizabeth.** "…Did she add something else to you?" **Elijah asked her.

"**Yes, she informed me to tell you that this child was a special child…He's be brought into the orphanage for safety measures."** Elizabeth told Elijah, making him turn his head in surprise, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**Thank you, Elizabeth…"** Elijah responded to her, while turning his sight back to the ocean. **"I'll have to look at it at my return to England."**

* * *

><p><em>Two days later, Jamaican Pier 1 Night club<em>

The dim lights of the Jamaican Night club, the thickness of the smoke, the colourful spotlights on the gigantic dance floor, some dance music hits in the speakers, the American tourists cruising at the bar, and a couple of prostitutes looking out for customers, were the first things Katherine saw at first sight while scattering the place.

She took a few walking steps on her silver high heels sandals, toward the dance floor, before raising seductively her long eyelashes toward the single men who where surrounding her, seeing them sliding their sights on her tone, sexy body, covered by a glittering silver mini dress. She raised an eyebrow, winking at them, while playing with a strand of her hair.

"**Can I offer you a drink?"** A blond American man asked her, while sliding his sight on her deep cleavage.

"**Maybe…"** Katherine answered him, while passing a finger on his chest under his open shirt. **"…Ask me later."** She added, while murmuring in his right ear, before passing beside him, and directing her walk toward the bar, while swaying her hips, and noticing Charles at the entrance of the night club, nodding her head very discreetly to him, which he responded by touching the front tip of his straw hat. The plan was now in place.

She reached the bar, before sitting on a leather stool, while waving to the barman, who nodded that he would be with her in a short moment.

"**What a beautiful lady like you is doing in this low class, dark and smoky place like this one?"** A man asked her, while taking a place beside her and cleaning the bar counter with a handkerchief that he took from his blazer pocket, before calling the barmaid with an ordering voice. **"When a lady ask you to serve her, you do as she ask…What will it be my dear?" **The very distinguished middle age man, with a strong English accent, asked her, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**Dirty Martini…"** She answered him, with a seductive smile on her face.

"**Dirty Martini for the lady, and Scotch on the rock for me…"** Mikael Mikaelson screamed to the barmaid, who nodded his head to him. **"…So, where were we?"** He asked Katherine.

"**I'm not a lady…."** Katherine answered him, while locking her stare in his, and wondering at the same time, where she had seen that man before? She was positively certain that she had met him somewhere, somehow?

"**I beg your pardon?"** Mikael asked her.

"**You asked me what a lady like me would be doing in a low class place like this one…I answered you that I was not a lady, I'm actually far from being one…"** Katherine added to him, before adding. **"…But you look like a first class gentleman, it's me who should ask you what you're doing in this place, and not the other way around…in need of a female company perhaps?" **

"**Cigarette…" **The man asked Katherine, before handing a golden plated cigarette case to her.

"**Thank you!"** Katherine responded, before taking one, and waiting for him to hand out a golden lighter, before taking her first puffs.

"**Why are you offering?"** The man asked her.

"**I'm not a prostitute if it is what you're asking?"** Katherine responded to the man, while scattering the night club. **"But, there's plenty in here that could suit your needs if you ask."**

"**I never thought that you were, my dear!"** Mikael answered, while winking at her. **"And if I wanted you, I would have you! I'm a man who always obtains what he wants!"** He added to her, making Katherine feel shivers of fears pass through her body.

"**You're here in vacation or for business?"** Katherine asked him, while changing the subject of conversation, before sipping the martini that the barmaid had put in front of her.

"**Isn't it always a bit of both? Actually, let say that I have an eye on one of my children….and the other eye on an enemy of my family!"** The man answered, while smiling at her, and before taking a sip of his own glass. **"I'm very surprised that a beautiful lady like you is not the property of a wealthy, powerful man…You seem like the style of woman that would settle for nothing less!"**

Katherine startled in shock and surprise, while turning her head to look at him with fiery eyes.

"**I'm not the property of any man, and I'll never be!" **Katherine answered him dryly.

"**Of course you're not….What is his name, my dear?" **Mikael sarcastically asked her, while smirking and wiping his mouth with a paper napkin after finishing his glass, and standing on his two feet.

"**Do you always get the answers you're looking for, even if it is not your damn business?"** Katherine asked him, while sipping her drink in one gulp.

"**I'm sure he is a good gentleman, who's able to shape you with his hands, to what he wants from you!"** He murmured near her left ear, making her startled in shock of his saying for the second time.

Katherine raised her head to give a piece of her mind to the stranger, when she suddenly realized that he was not standing by her side anymore, she scattered the night club without being able to find him anywhere…She raised her head and addressed herself to the barmaid, who lowered his head near hers.

"**The man who paid for my drink, did you see him leave?"** Katherine asked the Jamaican man.

"**No…" **The barmaid screamed in her left ear, while shaking his head. **"…but he certainly left me a big tip!" **He added, while smirking and showing her a bill of hundred US dollars.

"**Thank you!"** Katherine replied to him, while nodding her head to thank him, before standing on her feet. She could feel in her guts that this meeting was anything but random; she has seen that man before, but where? Something about him breathed power and evilness. Unfortunately, with the noise and the loud music in the speakers she was not able to know if he was human or not, but she would have bet: not! Now she needed to put aside this encounter, and concentrate on the plan to save her own life…and that meant being as visible as possible!

She directed her walking steps toward the outside dancing floor, underneath the Jamaican sky fill with starts, before grabbing the arm of the American guy who had flirted with her before, and asking:

"**You wanted to dance with me? We'll it's now or never…Show me your move, baby!"** She whispered in the man right ear, while seeing him drooling with anticipation, before catching with her on the dance floor. Now, the only thing to do was: Wait for Klaus to show up!

* * *

><p>Charles raised his head and saw Damarco walking toward him, into the deserted alley of the night club while helping himself walk with his white skull cane.<p>

"**It's been a decade since the last time I came back to the civilization, if this can even be called civilization…"** Damarco informed Charles, while grinning at the awful tempo sound that was coming from the night club, and reaching Charles standing position. **"Are you still willing to do what it takes to save the young vampire woman?" **

"**Yes!" **Charles simply replied to him, while nodding his head in respect to the sorcerer.

"**Did you bring a picture of the evil spirit and the young vampire woman?"** Damarco asked Charles.

Charles handed a picture of Klaus and Katherine to the sorcerer, to which he nodded to him, before handing it back to Charles before putting both of his hands on Charles's head. Charles was suddenly hit by a sharp and unbearable pain on his temple. A short moment after the unconscious body of the sorcerer was lying on the ground.

Charles, as Damarco, opened his eyes, showing two black sorcerer eyes in the darkest night. Damarco had succeeded taking possession of Charles body. He lowered his upper body, to grab his own lying corpse by the feet, to hide it in a dark corner of the alley, before directing his walking steps toward the Night Club.

* * *

><p>Elijah was standing on the back porch of his Jamaican house, with his hands placed on each side of his waist, while staring at a more than petrify Oniel, with a worried Elizabeth beside him that was rubbing her hands nervously. It had took him less time than anticipated to finally noticed that Katherine and Charles had cooked up a plan of their own to go against Klaus!<p>

"**Oniel?"** Elijah screamed at him, while raising his voice for the second time.

"**Yes Master…"** Oniel responded to Elijah, while taking a step backward. **"…Well, you see, Damarco asked Mister Charles to follow his instructions, he also told him that the tropical princess was in danger of dying very soon…And Damarco, the sorcerer…"** He explained to a surprised Elijah and a dumfounded Elizabeth, before adding. **"…He asked Mister Charles to keep this as a secret and to connect Mister Charles's spirit with his." **

"**What do you mean connect his spirit?"** Elijah asked him, while reaching Oniel's standing position.

"**Damarco will take possession of Mister Charles's spirit, and integrate his body…"** Oniel told Elijah, while closing one eye, fearing the worst reaction from Elijah.

But surprisingly, Elijah kept his calm, and turned his head to look at Elizabeth, who had placed one of her hand on her chest, feeling her heart beat raise.

"**Oh my God…"** She exclaimed to Elijah, while shaking her head, before adding. **"…This is not good, Master Elijah!"**

"**What did they think of?"** Elijah exclaimed in anger, while passing a quick hand through his hair, before pacing back and forth in front of Oniel and Elizabeth. **"This kind of spell could turn deadly for Charles! He knows better than that! And how in hell did you get that information?" **Elijah asked him, while gesturing with his hands.

"**Well, Master…You see….I was the one who drove the tropical princess to where she needed to be tonight, and one thing led to another thing…She basically told me everything" **Oniel explained to him, while rubbing nervously his hands together.

"**Why tonight?"** Elijah asked him, while stopping his pacing around.

"**She received a threatening note from your brother, Klaus…"** Oniel explained to him, while nodding his head, adding. **"…He wanted to meet with her, and for her to give herself willingly to him, or…He would put you and your England staff in danger again!"**

"**That explain the encounter of one of his man with my children, Master Elijah…Miss Katherine is in danger!"** Elizabeth exclaimed to him, while putting her right hand on her chest, and showing a worrying expression on her face.

"**Do you remember one single moment that this stubborn woman was not, Elizabeth?"** Elijah mumbled angrily in his teeth, while passing a hand on his face.

"**Well, Master Elijah, if I may be honest, each time that Miss Katherine was in danger, it was unfortunately in relation with your brother…"** She replied to him, while blushing. **"And Charles…He'll do anything for her, she is like a daughter to him…"** She added in a murmur to him, while shaking her head.

"**I know…I know…"** He responded to her, while lowering his head, and closing his eyes for a short while. **"…He's playing with fire!"** He added, before turning his head to look at Oniel. **"Where are they?"**

"**Master Elijah…I can't tell you…I mean, Damarco is a powerful sorcerer, and if you come between him and his spell…It could turn badly for all of you!"** Oniel explained to him, while shaking his head.

"**Oniel, where are they?"** Elijah asked him, once again, with a loud, ordering voice.

"Pier One Night Club, near the port…" Oniel answered him, while nodding his head.

Elijah rushed inside the house, while screaming to Oniel:

"**Stay in here, keep Thamika and Elizabeth safe, I'll go by myself…"** He ordered him.

"**It's ok, Miss Elizabeth…It's ok, Master Elijah will make things right!"** Oniel said to Elizabeth, while putting an arm around her shoulders.

"**Your words to God's ears, my dear Oniel…"** Elizabeth answered him.

* * *

><p>An awesome, tall, seductive man entered the <em>Pier One<em> Dancing Club. He was dressed in an impeccable taste, white "top of the brand – high quality" pants and a satin black shirt, with the first buttons opened on his muscular chest, and his sleeves rolled on his forearms, his dark lustrous hair styled backward with styling gel, and a debonair style that screamed respect and power.

Elijah narrowed his eyes, to get used to the darkness of the night club, while scattering the dancing floor from afar, before sliding a money bill into the hands of a tall and built door man.

"**Bombshell, curly long brown hair, silver dress…."** He murmured into the ears of the man.

"**She arrived one hour ago…"** The man murmured into Elijah's right ear, while taking discreetly the money in his hands, and put it in his pants right pocket. **"…She sat on the bar and shared a drink with a customer." **

"**Blond, curly hair, mid-twenty…" **Elijah asked the man.

"**No…" **The man said, while shaking his head.** "…The man was older, very classy and wealthy… like you sir!" **The man added, while nodding.

Elijah raised one of his eyebrows in surprise.

"**After their encounter…"** The door man continued explaining. **"…She's been dancing on the outdoor dancing floor since he left her!" **

Elijah nodded his head to the door man as a thank you, before directing his walk toward the footbridge in direction of the outdoor dancing floor, while passing in front of the second level bar, putting his hands in his pants pockets, and smirking at the ladies who were lurking him, while beating their eyelashes, winking, and passing seductively their tongues on their red lips, before taking a sip of their drinks, in an open invitation to pass the night with one of them, to which he smiled back seductively, before stopping in front of a steel ramp, and lowering his sight on the outside dancing floor, while a group of noisy tourists were wiggling and dancing under the night sky, on the outdoor Jamaican dancing floor.

It was not hard for him to spot Katherine in the crowd, she was the most seductive, beautiful, and sexy woman in the club. She was dancing in the middle of a group of drunk tourist American men, who where, each at their own turn, grabbing her, and sliding their dirty hands all over her body. He closed his fists while biting his lips in anger.

Katherine raised her arms in the air, while sliding her back on the handsome man chest, who was gluing his body with hers, hearing him murmured in her ear.

"**Hey beautiful, you want for us to get out of this place, and go someplace else?"**

"**Like your hotel bedroom I suppose?" **Katherine asked him, while putting her arms around his neck.

"**You'd like that?"** The man asked her, while sliding his hands on her bottom, and moving his hips with hers.

"**I would, sweet thing…"** Katherine murmured to him, while passing a finger on his bottom lips, before adding. **"…But I'm waiting for someone right now, you make me pass the time!" **

"**Later, perhaps…" **The man pursued her, before adding. **"…I'll go to the bar, to pick up drinks, what would you like, baby?" **

"**Dirty Martini…" **She told him, before smiling seductively and turning her back at him, while raising her arms in the air, and screaming in synchronisation with the crowd some lyrics of a well known Rihana pop song, while swaying her hips, before hearing a new tempo…A slow dance, to probably bring the couple, of a one night stand, together.

Katherine rolled her eyes, and smirked while hearing the song choice: _Sexual healing_ from **Marvin Gaye**. "Great!" She thought to herself, she needed to get out of the dance floor before the "lets glue our bodies together" American man came back….She suddenly felt two strong hands sliding on her hips, while grabbing Katherine firmly to glue her body near a muscular chest, feeling the softness of the man lips brushing her right cheek, rising sensually toward her right ear, before nipping on her lobe, making her startle with surprise, and feeling a range of electrifying chills hitting her entire body at once.

"**If it's making love on a dance floor that you wanted, you just had to ask, love…"** She heard Elijah whisper in her ear, while feeling his hands grab the bottom of her dress, and sliding his fingers underneath the fabric, in a mix of caressing and grabbing her thighs.

"**Elijah? What…What are you doing here?"** She whispered to him, in complete shock, while almost feeling the increased beats of her none existent heart. **"…Stop it!"** She begged him, while feeling his right hand raising on her chest, before cupping one of her breast, making her feel a range of intense sensations, through the embarrassment and the sexual tension between them. **"…You are embarrassing me!"** She mumbled to him, while trying to get away from him, without being able to succeed.

"**Am I? The other guy didn't seem to embarrass you much? I thought you wanted to be treated like a luxury escort, a willing prostitute, that would sell her body to the highest bidder, or the man that would buy her drinks in the night"** He whispered to her, while suddenly turning her around, making her face him, before lowering his hands on her bottom and grabbing her tender flesh.

"**Bastard…"** She angrily mumbled in her teeth, while slapping her right hand on his face. **"…You have no idea!"** She continued saying, before feeling tears filling her eyes.

Elijah released his grip on her for a short moment, while raising his hand to touch his cheek, before glaring at her.

"**Well…The truth hurts apparently, **_Katerina_**?"** He said to her, before grabbing her arms again, while gluing her on his chest, encircling her waist with a firm grip of his arms and hands.

"**Let go of me!"** She mumbled angrily to him.

"**Shhh…You'll make people wonder if we're having a lover quarrel on the dance floor…"** He murmured near her right ear, before raising one of his hands, on her back, while caressing her bare skin with his finger.

"**I think it was obvious the minute I slapped you!"** She replied to him.

"**Nobody noticed, they are on vacation, and too drunk to notice…And if they were, they probably thought that you wanted to do me, right her, right now, on the dance floor…Isn't it always the idea between us, Katherine?"** He seductively asked her, while lowering his head near her left shoulder and kissing its curve, before adding while murmuring in her ear. **"…You know, two strangers who meet for the first time, lock their stare, and suddenly feel a powerful connection, and know that they will become intimate before the night is over."**

Elijah raised his head, before locking her eyes with hers, making Katherine shiver and remembering a far encounter in her memory…

* * *

><p><em>England 1492<em>

"_Excuse me…" Trevor said to a lady, before nodding his head in respect to her, and walking toward Elijah. _

"_Ah Good evening, Trevor…" Elijah said to him, before adding. "I am please that you could join us." _

"_I could not miss the birthday celebration." He answered Elijah. _

"_No, considering the gift you claim to bare…" Elijah replied, while staring at him. "Where is this mystery girl to which you speak?" He questioned him. _

"_Right this way…" Trevor answered him. _

"_My dear…" Trevor said to a young lady, who was turning her back at them. _

_She turned around, before staring and smiling at Elijah. _

"_Hello…" She said in a joyful and cheerful voice, showing her breath taking beauty and her youth to Elijah. _

_Elijah froze on spot, before getting back to reality, and saying to her: _

"_Forgive me, you remind me of someone…" _

"_Katerina, may I introduce the Lord Elijah…" Trevor presented Elijah to her. _

_Elijah handed his open right palm to her, while smiling. _

_She gave her left hand to him, before making a reverence and lowering her head, while saying:_

"_Pleasure my lord!" _

"_Pleasure's mine!" Elijah replied to her, while hand kissing her, before adding. "Katerina…" _

_Katerina felt a range of wonderful shivers passing threw her entire body, while locking her eyes in Elijah's._

(This above 1492 part of the chapter is not coming from my own inspiration or writing – it's coming from TVD - Klaus episode / Season 2)

* * *

><p>Little she knew at that time that this encounter in 1492 with that man would change entirely her destiny.<p>

She put both of her hands on his chest, while squirming to free herself away from his arms grip, without being able to succeed.

"**Let me go, Elijah…That is enough play game for tonight!"** She mumbled angrily in her teeth.

"**You know…"** He said near her left ear, while caressing her hair, and adding. **"…You should relax and listen to the lyrics of the song." **He murmured to her, while sliding both of his hands on each side of her hips, balancing his own sensually with hers, making her raised her own hands on his chest, and encircling his neck of her arms, before lowering her head on his left shoulder, while slow dancing on an sensual tempo with him, before hearing him murmured the lyrics in her ear. **"And when I get that feeling I want sexual heeling…" **

She busted into laughter while raising her head and locking her stare in his.

"**Is it me or the way men are courting women in these modern time are a bit too obvious…Look at the song choice of the DJ, it is so obvious that I stand between: being completely outraged and repulsed, and, bursting into laugher with you…" **Elijah said to her, while smirking.

"**And yet, you know the lyrics…"** Katherine replied to him, while raising one of her eyebrows.

"**It's a classic…"** He murmured in her ear. **"…I know all classics…And, it's the kind of song that you put in the privacy of your own home while making love to your woman, not in the middle of a dancing floor…." **He added, while shaking his head.

"**You're such an old fashion man…"** She said to him, while rolling her eyes, while sliding her hands in his dark hair.

"**An old fashion, moralistic man, who's having you in his bed…"** He replied to her.

"**From time to time, I love changing flavours in my life…"** She replied to him, while raising her chin, and staring in his eyes. "**You're simply the flavour of the month…"** She added to Elijah.

"**And what was the previous man that you were dancing with, flavour of the night?"** He asked her, with a dry tone in his voice.

"**Let me go, Elijah…You can't be here, now…You need to leave, please!"** Katherine asked him, while squirming away from his arms.

"**Why are you risking your life with Charles like this, Katherine? Where is he, anyway?"** Elijah ordered her to tell him, while grabbing her left forearm, and hearing a new pop music in the speaker, before seeing people filling, in no time, the dance floor.

"**I won't tell you, you need to go!"** Katherine asked of him, while trying to free herself from his grip.

"**This is too risky and dangerous…You shouldn't be in the middle of this!"** Elijah replied angrily to her, before adding. "**Let me protect you and handle my brother, Katherine!" **

"**I am in the middle of it, Elijah!" **She screamed at him.

"**Hey! Let go of her!" **The American tourist, who was dancing with Katherine before, asked Elijah to do, while joining them in the middle of the dancing floor.

Elijah raised his right hand, while placing it in front of the man chest.

"**Stay out of it…"** Elijah asked him, in an ordering; falsely calm voice, while staring into the man's eyes.

"**Oh ya? I don't think so, my man!"** The man responded to Elijah, before throwing his fist into Elijah's face, which he was able to avoid by bending his upper body, and throwing one of his own fists into the man's stomach, before grabbing him by the right arm, and punching him, a couple of times, with his elevated knees, putting the man down on the floor in a matter of seconds.

In no time, all the men were fighting in the middle of the dance floor, punching each other for no other reason then showing their muscles, testosterone, and most of all stupidity to the majority of women present in the night club. Elijah managed to get away from the fighting crowd and the dancing floor, before passing a rapid hand on his hair, while turning on himself, and scattering his surroundings.

"**Katerina!"** He screamed from the top of his lungs, while noticing that she had managed to escape from him. **"Damn you, woman…"**

* * *

><p>"<strong>I told you specifically to come here alone, and you had to act stupidly and go against my order, you did not listen to me…Now what am I going to do with you, sweetheart? What is my brother doing here?"<strong> Klaus screamed at Katherine, while grabbing forcefully her upper left arm and dragging her beside him, in direction of one of the port pier. **"Hurry up!"** He ordered her, while pushing her in front of him. **"What? A cat ate your tongue, Katherine?"** He asked her, while pulling forcefully on her hair and making her scream in pain, approaching his lips near her left ear. **"I promise I'll be gentle with you…When I will enter the stake in your heart, you won't feel anything…And your death will be quick and almost painless…I need to go gentle on my brother after all…" **He murmured to her, before giggling evilly and pushing her in front of a yacht that was moored at the pier. "**Weigh anchor rapidly!"** Klaus ordered to one of his thug man, who was waiting for them on the ship bridge, before grabbing Katherine behind him, and forcing her to bend her head to enter inside a below cabin.

* * *

><p>Elijah ran toward the port, while scattering frantically the different piers in front of him…It would be Klaus's style to kidnap her, and disappear that way. He finally saw one of the yacht passing in proximity of his standing position behind the port ramp, while seeing Klaus walking toward the front of the boat, before turning himself to stare at Elijah's standing position.<p>

"**Elijah, my brother, what a surprise to see you in here, in all places!"** Klaus saluted him, in a mocking tone of voice, while smirking at him, before elevating one of his legs on the edge of the boat.

"**You hurt her and I'll kill you, Klaus…I swear!"** Elijah screamed at him.

"**What?"** Klaus asked him, while elevating his right hand to his ear, in a mocking gesture. **"I can't hear you, brother! You'll kill me? Did you forget that we are immortal?"** Klaus added to him, while busting into laughter, before adding. **"…You're still in love with her as I can see? Don't worry, I'll go gentle on her, I'll kill her rapidly, I promise…Or, I'll pass the night with her, before…"** Klaus said to him, while waving to him. **"Till next time, bro…"**

Elijah saw the yacht leave the port, while pacing back and forth, before hitting with anger with his right foot, a bottle of beer that was on the pavement.

"**Damn, Damn…"** He screamed repeatedly, while punching his fists in the air, before seeing Charles running toward him. **"What did you think of, Charles? He left with her now?"** Elijah screamed angrily at him, while gesturing with his arms, and seeing Charles reached his standing position.

"**Son, listen to me!" **Charles responded to him, while catching his breath, and trying to calm Elijah down, while grabbing his shoulders.

"**No!"** Elijah screamed back at him, before adding. **"She's gone now…And probably dead as we speak!" **

"**Listen to me!" **Charles screamed, in a higher tone of voice, at Elijah, while grabbing his shoulders and locking his stare in his.** "Look above you!" **Charles ordered him to do.

Elijah raised his sight on an above port footbridge, while seeing Katherine staring at him, with a timid smile on her face.

"**What? How…" **Elijah mumbled almost incoherently to Charles, with an open mouth expression.

"**Well, if you had giving me two seconds to explain, Son!" **Charles replied to him, while letting go of his grip on him.

"**How is it possible?"** Elijah asked Charles, while turning his head from Katherine to Charles repeatedly.

"**It's her! The person that Klaus brought to the boat is an illusion created by a spell…"** Charles explained to Elijah, while putting both of his hands on each side of his waist, and passing a hand through his hair.

"**You were endangering yourself …You know that, Charles!"** Elijah exclaimed to him.

"**It's not me who did it…Damarco did…You should be grateful, it was her time to die tonight…"** Charles responded to Elijah, while nodding his head.

Katherine got down of the footbridge stairs, while slowly reaching their standing position on the pier, Elijah took a glimpse, while taking a few steps to reach her, slowly raising his right hand to caress her face, before bringing Katherine in his arms, with one of his hands in her hair, while keeping her head near his, and closing his eyes.

"**Don't ever do that to me again…"** He murmured to her, in an almost none perceivable whisper.

Katherine looked at Charles, who was standing behind them, while moving her lips in a "_Thank you_" whisper, to which he nodded his head, and whispered back to her: "_You're welcome!_"

Elijah re-opened his eyes and passed his left hand on his teary eyes, before suddenly pushing her away from him, while making her almost loose her balance.

"**The jeep is outside; I'll wait for both of you…" **He said to them, in a colder, ordering voice, while walking toward the night club.

Katherine turned her head to look at Charles in the eyes…He was standing behind her, with his arms crossed in front of his chest, while staring at Elijah walking away from them.

"**He's mad; we've betrayed his trust..."** He said, while shaking his head and continuing. **"…No, not "**_We_**", I betrayed his trust!"**

"**It's because of me..."** Katherine replied to him, while lowering her head. **"…I don't want to be the drift between the two of you!" **

"**And I don't want to be the drift between the two of you, Miss Katherine…"** Charles responded to her.

"**There is no "**_me & him_**", Charles…"** She said to him, while shrugging her shoulders, and blushing.

"**Then what is there?"** Charles asked Katherine, while reaching her standing position and locking his eyes with hers. **"…Isn't it time for you to find out, Miss Katherine?"** He added to her, while tilting his head to the right, and raising one of his eyebrows.

Katherine shrugged her shoulders one more time, before starting to walk in direction of the night club, followed on her foot steps by Charles.

* * *

><p>Elijah was pacing angrily back and forth on the terrace of his Jamaican estate, in front of silent and arms crossed over their chests, Charles and Katherine.<p>

Elizabeth, Oniel and Thamika were standing behind them, while glaring at each other from time to time.

"**This was by far the stupidest plan that you ever had, Charles!"** Elijah screamed at his friend, while continuing to pace back and forth in front of them, before stopping and pointing his finger at Katherine. **"…And you!"** He added without being able to continue.

"**Master Elijah…"** Charles started explaining. **"…In my own defence, this was the only way of keeping Miss Katherine alive, it was her time to die!" **

"**So you decided to defy death!"** Elijah replied angrily to him.

"**Not exactly, Damarco decided to change the events that would lead to her death…Technically he did not defy her death…And changed the future events to allow her to stay alive!"** Charles said to him.

"**And I was not invited into this joyful experience, because?"** He angrily asked Charles.

"**Well…"** Charles replied to him, while taking a glance at Katherine. **"…Because you were too emotionally attached…" **He added to him, while lowering his head, andclosing one eye, while waiting for Elijah's reaction, before hearing only the silence answering him.

Katerine left them in the middle of the terrace, before storming inside the house, and slamming the open French door of the house, in a big noise.

"**Where is she going now?"** Elijah asked all of them, while pointing his fingers to the doors.

"**Master Elijah, she is obviously as upset as you are…Imagine if someone was telling you that you were going to die?"** Elizabeth told Elijah.

"**I'm aware of that…"** Elijah replied to her, while gesturing nervously with his arms. **"…That is why I am so mad at you, Charles…and at her!" **He added, before continuing. **"I thought I could put my trust in you?" **

"**You can, you always can, son!"** Charles answered him. **"But this time, it was bigger and more powerful than you and I reunite!"** Charles told him.

Katherine re-appeared on the terrace, while carrying a suitcase, with a bunch of clothes sliding from its half open side, she passed in front of Oniel, Thamika, Charles and Elizabeth, before taking the terrace staircase and walking toward the beach.

"**I won't be a problem for any of you…Asta la vista baby!"** She screamed at Elijah.

"**Katherine I give you five seconds to bring your ass back in here!"** Elijah screamed back at her, while standing in front of the ramp, with fury eyes, and both of his hands placed on each side of his waist. **"NOW!"** He added as an order, in front of the four bystanders, who where hiding their hilarity behind their hands placed in front of their mouths.

"**Go to hell!"** She replied to him, while dragging her suitcase on the sand.

It took less than a minute for Elijah to reach her, and throwing her across his shoulders, while hearing her scream and kicking her feet in every direction, before passing in front of Charles, Elizabeth, Oniel & Thamika, in direction of the terrace French door.

"**We'll talk about it; tomorrow…Have a nice night!"** He said to all, with the angry screams of Katherine as a background sound: **"Bastard! Put me down!"**

"**Damn!"** Oniel exclaimed, while staring at the scene. **"Master Elijah is certainly the MAN!" **

"**Mm…." **Thamika replied to him, while staring at the French door.** "…Now, you should take note, this is what I call passion! This is how I want you to handle me!" **

"**Not to point out the obvious, my sweet pie, but you are a little bit heavier in weight!" **Oniel replied to her, while rolling his eyes.** "There is no way in hell that I can put you on my shoulders!" **He added to her.

Thamika opened her eyes widely, while putting both of her hands on each side of her waist.

"**What did you just say?" **She asked him.

"**Nothing my sweet Tropical flower, my sunshine on rainy days…" **Oniel mumbled in his teeth, while taking backward steps and entering the house.

"**It better be nothing!"** Thamika told him, while shaking her finger in front of his face, and entering the house behind him.

Elizabeth and Charles looked at each other, before bursting into laughter….Bending their upper bodies, to hold their bellies because of the laugh contractions.

"**Oh Charles, seriously…Tell me…who needs to go to a movie theatre, when you have this at home?"** Elizabeth said to him, while raising her head to look at him, while locking her eyes in his, and feeling an intense fire hitting her cheeks.

"**Tell me about it, my dear…"** He answered her, while sliding his sight on her body, in a way that she had never seen him look at her before, before blushing some more.

Next thing she realized: two strong arms were grabbing her by the waist, pushing her forcefully toward the exterior terrace walls, before feeling Charles's lips crashing on hers. She stood still for a few seconds, while feeling his hands sliding on the bare skin of the back of her dress, raising the right hand on her hair to caress them, with his other hand going south to grab her bottom, to which she opened her eyes in surprise for a few seconds, before sliding her hands on his chest, and encircling his neck, while opening her lips to let him invade her mouth and taste her.

As quickly that it had started, it stopped! Charles pushed himself away from her, before breathing heavily and passing a nervous hand through his hair.

"**I'm sorry, I'm sorry…."** He repeated to her, while shaking his head and storming inside the house, while leaving a speechless Elizabeth in front of the night ocean view.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Katherine?"<strong> Elijah murmured to her, half asleep, while reaching for/and touching her left forearm. **"What is it, why aren't you able to sleep?"** He asked her more, while noticing her sitting position on the bed, with her stare lost into the dark night and the ocean, through the open French patio doors.

"**I can't shake this…"** She told Elijah, while holding her knees near her chest, with both of her arms. **"…I know that I saw that man somewhere before."** She mumbled in her teeth.

"**What man?"** Elijah asked her, while straightening his upper body in a sitting position, and putting his right arm around her shoulders, bringing her slowly in his arms.

"**The one that I exchanged with at the bar…I have a sense of "déjà vu"."** Katherine replied to Elijah, while lowering her head on his chest, and closing her eyes.

"**You think he's a vampire?"** Elijah asked her, while lowering both of their bodies back into a lying position.

"**Yes…I think he is supernatural…Vampire I'm not sure…"** She replied to him, before turning her head to look at him, with her chin on his shoulder.

"**Maybe he is one of Klaus's men, and was only there to keep an eye on you?"** Elijah asked her.

"**No…"** Katherine responded to him, while shaking her head, before adding. **"…That man is not the kind of man to take orders; he's the kind of giving them, not receiving them!" **

"**Just forget about it, ok?" **Elijah whispered to her, while kissing her forehead, and kissing her forehead.

"**Ok…I'll search more tomorrow…"** She responded to him, while closing her eyes, and encircling his waist with her arms.

"**You're so stubborn…"** He said to her, while laughing.

"**Mm…."** She mumbled to him, while drifting slowly into sleep. **"…But, you like me that way…"** She added in a last whisper, before falling asleep.

"**No…"** He whispered back to an asleep Katherine. **"…**_Je t'aime_ **that way!"**

* * *

><p>Mikael directed his walking steps inside the expensive Jamaican villa that he had rented for his stay on the island, before walking into a long corridors, toward the small bar located in the living room.<p>

"**What happened?"** Eric asked him, while rising on his feet from his comfortable rattan arm chair that he was sitting on for the last past few hours, while waiting impatiently for Mikael return, and passing the time by drinking bottle of alcohol, after bottle of alcohol.

"**Your father pulled a fast one on my bastard son!"** Mikael responded to him, while smiling and gulping in a one shot, his glass of scotch. **"And, I met the charming and lovely **_Katherine Pierce_**!"** He added to him, with a smirk on his face, while pouring himself another glass.

"**What did he pull this time?"** Eric asked him, against his better judgement; his father had become the root of his hate toward the entire universe!

"**Black magic…"** Mikael replied to him, while raising one of his eyebrows. **"Well…It was not exactly him…His body was possessed by the Island sorcerer, named **_Damarco_**." **He explained to him, while taking a sitting place on an arm chair.

"**Ah, this is priceless…." **Eric replied to Mikael, while pacing back and forth in front of him, and giggling nervously.** "My saint warlock father…Who was against everything supernatural in this world, and who turned his back at me the day **_you_** turned me as vampire, is now using black magic!" **He added, while passing a nervous hand through his hair.

"**You know my dear Eric, you letting your human emotions take the better of you again…I don't particularly like it!" **Mikael warned him, while staring to his amber liquid in his glass.

"**I'm sorry…"** Eric replied to him, while bending his head in respect. **"…It won't happen again."** He added, to reassure Mikael.

"**Your father could become my ally with a little persuasion from my part!"** Mikael explained to Eric.

"**My father will never accept to be your ally, Mikael!"** Eric replied to him, while shaking his head.

"**And that is when I will use my persuasion, young man…Your father seems to have two weaknesses: my son and his lovely mistress: **_Katerina Petrova_**…I'll play on that last card!" **Mikael replied sarcastically to him. **"As appreciative as I am of him taking the father's figure of my son life, the past years, it will be soon my time to take back my rightful place at the head of the family…"**

"**How can he? He can't save her more than two times by magic, or he will loose his own life?"** Eric explained to Mikael.

"**Exactly…"** Mikael replied to him, while raising on his feet, and smirking at Eric. **"…He can't use magic to save the life of a vampire, it goes against the law of nature… but he can perform magic to kill one, and re-establish that said law!"**

"**You want him to find a way to kill Klaus?"** Eric asked, in admiration, to Mikael. **"But, he can't …No one can kill an Original….You're all immortal and eternal, aren't you?"**

Mikael raised one of his eyebrows, while directing his walking steps toward the open terrace French doors, before staring at the night sky.

"**Oh my God… You're not!" **Eric exclaimed to him, in total shock.

"**Let just say that there is a single way to get rid of a vampire Original…" **Mikael replied to Eric, while keeping his stare in front of him**. "…But unfortunately, attach to it, an awful price to pay!"** Mikael added, while turning his body to face him, and sliding his hands in his pants pockets.

"**A price to pay…I don't understand? What is it?"** Eric asked Mikael.

"**Killing an Original vampire will also kill the entire line of vampires who came from the said Original!"** Mikael explained to a speechless – mouth open Eric.

* * *

><p>A pouring rain hit the Island very early in the morning, bringing with itself a well needed fresh and colder breeze. But it is not the noise of the rain hitting the roof and their balcony that woke up Katherine, it was more the loud screams that made her open her eyes and startled the most…She raised her body in a sitting position, while turning to look at Elijah, who just had wake up himself, alerted in his own sleep by the same screams.<p>

It took less than a few seconds for Katherine to get out of the bed, and take a silk dressing gown, storming out of the bedroom, and reaching the staircase, with Elijah not far behind her, before seeing Charles rushing downstairs himself.

"**What is happening?"** Elizabeth frantically asked Charles and Katherine, while closing the fabric belt of her night gown.

"**Stay in here…" **Elijah ordered Katherine and Elizabeth, while following Charles downstairs.

"**Like hell we are!"** Elizabeth responded Elijah, making Katherine look at her with amusement. **"…I mean, I don't want to stay here!"** Elizabeth said, while blushing intensively.

"**Come, Elizabeth…"** Katherine said to her, while taking her hand in hers. **"..It would not be safe to leave you upstairs all alone!"**

"**But Miss Katherine….Master Elijah just ordered us to stay upstairs?" **Elizabeth responded, whilefollowing her in the staircase.

"**Since when do I listen to what he is ordering me to do?"** Katherine replied to her, while rushing toward the patio, with Elizabeth on her footsteps.

A cold shiver hit Katherine when she reached the patio. She held her pace, while standing in font of the terrace ramp, with Elizabeth standing at her side. In front of them, under the pouring tropical rain, Oniel was kneeling in front of his wife dead / lying body, while screaming and holding his head in his hands, with Charles's right hand placed on his left shoulder, and Elijah turning his back at the scene, while staring at the ocean.

"**Oh my God…Miss Katherine, it's Thamika!"** Elizabeth exclaimed to her, with her right hand over her mouth, while holding her tears.

"**Stay here…"** Katherine murmured to her, before directing her walking steps toward the beach, while feeling the pouring rain sliding over her hair and face.

"**Go back!"** Elijah screamed at her, while turning on himself, and gesturing with his hands.

"**No!"** She replied to him, while trying to pass beside him. **"I want to see…"**

"**There's nothing to see…"** Elijah replied to her, while holding her shoulders in a firm grip.

"**Let me see!"** Katherine screamed at him, while pushing him away from her.

Katherine took a few more walking steps, before kneeling beside Oniel, while putting a friendly hand on his back, before turning her sight at Thamika's laying dead body. Dry traces of blood were covering the entirety of her chest; her head had been torn away from her body…. Fangs holes we're specifically showing on the right side of her neck.

"**She's dead…She's dead…"** Oniel was repeating, while letting out his anger and tears of pain.

Charles bended his upper body, while picking on the wet sand a peace of folded paper, before handing it to Elijah. Elijah raised his sight on Charles, before taking it from Charles's hands and unfolding the sheet, reading it, while crumpling the piece of paper with anger in his left hand a second later.

Katherine raised her head, while catching his gesture, and sliding her wet hair backward, before rising on her feet and approaching his standing position.

"**What was on that paper?"** She asked him, while pointing his finger at him.

"**Nothing…"** Elijah replied to her, while gently pushing her away from him.

Elizabeth reached their standing position, with a rain coat, that she gently put on Oniel's shivering shoulders.

"**You shouldn't be here!"** Charles whispered to her.

"**This is awful, Charles…"** She replied to him, while sliding her left hand in his. **"…Who would do this to this charming lady?"** She added, as a question, to him, to which he nodded his head. **"Oh! He's a mad and trouble man!"** She exclaimed in a whisper to him, while realizing his saying and putting her right hand in front of her mouth, while feeling tears rolling on her face, mixed with the rain.

"**What is written on this piece of paper?"** Katherine replied, in an ordering tone of voice, to Elijah, while closing her fists in anger.

Elijah locked her eyes with hers, before unfolding the paper, and reading it out loud to her:

_Cross me again, brother…_

_And you'll have more human blood on your hands!_

Katherine raised her sight at Elijah, before taking the paper from his hands, and throwing it with anger on the sand.

"**I'm leaving…I'll hide again…I did it for the past five hundred years, I'll do it again! You will only be safe when I will be gone!"** Katherine screamed at all of them, while gesturing with her hands, feeling tears running on her cheeks. **"It's my fault if Thamika is dead! I should have left a long time ago…" **She mumbled almost incoherently to them, while directing her walking steps toward the house.

"**It's not your fault, Miss Katherine…"** Oniel screamed at her, while rising on his feet, making her turn to look at him. **"…It's simply not your fault!"** Oniel added to her, while taking the rain coat from his shoulders, and placing it gently over the dead lying body of his wife.

"**If it is the fault of someone…It is mine!"** Charles exclaimed loudly, while gently pushing Elizabeth away from him. **"I knew that black magic would create bad repercussions for all of us…But, I never thought that it would come to this!"** Charles added, while lowering his head.

"**Yes, but you did it to save me, once again, Charles. And, because of it, Thamika just lost her own life, paying for my own fault!"** Katherine exclaimed to him. **"You won't have to do it anymore…" **She added to all of them, while shaking her head.** "…I won't go back to England with all of you!" **She told them, before turning, and running toward the terrace.

"**Katherine!"** She heard Elijah screaming, at her.

Katherine stopped running, while standing still for a few seconds, with her back turned.

"**You won't change my mind, Elijah…I won't come back to England!"** She screamed back at him, while sweeping her tears and rain away from her eyes and cheeks.

"**No, I won't be able to convince you, I know that, you're a stubborn woman, **_Katerina Petrova_**… but for Theodore you will come back!"** He screamed at her, making her raise her head in total shock.

"**What did you just say?"** She screamed at him, while turning on herself, and staring at him, through the curtain of rain.

"**He's been taken away from the Orphanage by Elise…" **Elijah screamed at her, before seeing Katherine stare at the emptiness of the ocean in front of her, while freezing all her movements.

* * *

><p>Waiting impatiently to read you all and answering you soon!<p>

Till next chapter be happy and safe =)

P.S. Still laughing so loud at Katherine saying to Charles that he was a stallion! And I re-read the chapter…and gosh…It was an intense one…Probably my more intense to date!

How much I loved writing the Jamaica part…You have no idea! It was such a pleasure…And, you have to believe that more fun, more adventure, more pleasures are ahead, mixed of course with heartaches, suffering and turmoil. (Winking at you all)


	17. Welcome back home, Katherine

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**- Lovely Vero - **

**Writer's note****: **Yes, I know…Don't throw rocks at me! (LOL) I took forever to update this new chapter! I had to write heavy chapters in my other stories…So, a lot of brainstorming… Then, I started a new story because the inspiration came to me like a ton of bricks…But all is good! I needed a break before attacking a new part of Elijah/Katherine story. If you thought even for a second that this story was loosing breaths now…THINK AGAIN! (LOL)…It is far from being over. If only you knew what I have in my head (Winking at all of you). Also, I will have a last chapter to write for my Delena – Staroline crossover stories, and then it will be two closed stories! I will therefore, be able to concentrate only on my two favorite Originals stories for the summer: Elijah & Klaus. So you can breathe of relief!

What can I say about this chapter…Mm…Oh, Yes: HOLY COW! That is about it that I can say! Enjoy my dear readers.

**Songs inspiration****:** Survivor – Destiny child / Single ladies (put a ring on it) - Beyonce

* * *

><p>Chapter 17<p>

"**Welcome back home, Katherine"**

* * *

><p>Charles pushed the lace curtain, while taking a look at the outdoor temperature, still very grey with threatening clouds covering the entire sky of England since a couple of days. Nothing very promising and a late snow storm could be expected before the beginning of spring. The outdoor temperature was a good mirror of the mood inside the Manor though. He heard the whistling of the kettle, and took a few steps to reach the kitchen stove, before pouring water to make himself a cup of tea, before raising it to his mouth, and savouring the first gulps of this shooting hot drink, while closing his eyes, and appreciating the moment…The simple moment of quietness! Especially after the last weeks events in the Bahamas estate of Master Elijah, and the newest problems in hands….A young orphan was missing, and the kidnapper was nobody else but the one and only most powerful witch of England: Elise! He took a few more gulps, while enjoying the moment, before realizing that the moment was gone, hearing the kitchen door being slammed in a <em>big bang<em> noise, while opening only one of his eyes, in anticipation of the beginning of the storm.

"**I hate him! No, I don't hate him…I despise him with all I got in me! No, I don't despise him…I simply…" **Katherine mumbled angrily in her teeth, while shaking her curly hair, and gesturing with her hands.

"…**hate him!"** Charles finished her sentence, while rolling his eyes to the ceiling.

"**Yes! Exactly, **_Charlie Poo Poo_**"** She exclaimed to Charles, while pointing a finger at him. **"…I hate him! Do you know what this **_**Viking historic**_** man just told me? He told me that he would place a detector shackle at my ankle, to help him trace every of my moves, if I was asking one more time to go out!"**

"**Well…That is an interesting idea, Miss Katherine…Very refreshing actually…" **Charles mockingly answered her, while turning to face her.** "…Did he suggest also a fur collar placed at your throat with you name on a golden medal?" **He added to her, while tilting his head, shrugging his shoulders and smirking at her.

"**Not funny at all, Charles!"** She exclaimed to him, before seeing him laugh behind his hand placed over his mouth, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, and pouting. **"He's following all of my moves…I need to do something…I need to search, to find a trail, to find Theodore!"** She mumbled in her teeth, while turning her head toward the window, and shrugging her shoulders.

Charles looked at her, before leaning his back on the kitchen island, while crossing his arms over his chest.

"**You know…He's still mad at our latest secret plan to take Klaus down, and for him it was like betraying his trust!" **Charles explained to her. **"Then, the death of Thamika put the last nail in the coffin, as a figure of speech, of course..." **Charles added to her.

"**It was awful and unfair for her and Oniel…" **Katherine whispered to Charles, while retaining her tears. She had cried way too much since her return from Jamaica.

"**Yes, it was…"** Charles simply answered her, while lowering his head, in a moment of retrospection, before taking his cup of tea and putting it in the sink. **"I have a staff that needs cleaning instructions for the day, Miss Katherine, if you would pardon me…As for Master Elijah, Give him time, he'll come around, and for the time being, do us a big favour: DO NOTHING!" **He said to her, while putting a friendly hand on her right shoulder, before walking toward the exit of the kitchen.

"**But I'm going to be bored to death…And, you know what I do when I'm bored, Charles…"** Katherine said to him, while seeing him turn to look at her one last time.

"**Yes, Miss Katherine….I remembered that you shrank Master Elijah tailored shirts, and you also put a red piece of clothe in the washing machine to make his underwear pink!"** Charles mockingly responded, while winking at her and seeing her smirk back at him. **"But you are not a part of the cleaning staff anymore, and we both know that those days are over – So, behave, young lady!"**

Katherine shrugged her shoulders, while rolling her eyes.

"**You totally won some points for calling me young lady…" **Katherine said to Charles, while tilting her head.

"**I know…"** Charles responded to her, while smiling and leaving the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Maria, you are calling this a clean window, young lady?" <strong>Charles asked the new maid, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, making her suddenly blushed at his intense glare.

"**I'm so sorry, Mister Charles…I'm going to do it again!"** She said to him, while rubbing her hands nervously, before making a reverence, and passing a humid cloth over the frame of the said window.

"**I would not ask for anything less, Maria…"** He said to the girl, while letting the girl at her task. Since the renovations, new maids had been employed for extra help. A new wing had been added to the house, and therefore, extra work. He took in his hands the morning newspaper from a near console table, while walking into the corridor toward the main entrance, looking at the front page news, before raising his head, startling at the view of Elizabeth who was talking to a few maids in front of him, stopping his track, and turning very silently on himself to walk toward the other way, before seeing her turn her head and noticing him.

"**Is this the way it's going to be now, Charles?"** She asked him, with an angry tone of voice.

He closed his eyes and fists, murmuring in his teeth a word that could not be repeated in front of God! He had tried to avoid her since their return from Jamaica, and particularly since his epic - failed kiss on the terrace, but it was without counting on the tenacity of Elizabeth to pursue him. She walked rapidly to reach his walking pace, while staring angrily at him.

"**Good Morning, Charles!"** She exclaimed to him.

"**Oh…Elizabeth, I did not see you!"** He lied to her face, while keeping his stare on the newspaper.

"**Of course, you saw me; you've been avoiding me since our return from Jamaica!"** She lashed out at him, while snatching the newspaper from his hands.

"**And why would I do that, my dear…"** Charles asked her, while facing her, and crossing his arms in front of his chest, before lowering his head near hers, while locking his stare in Elizabeth's. It was obviously time for a change of tactics from his part!

"**Well…"** She mumbled shyly to him, while blushing, before adding. **"…I simply thought that…" **

"**Yes?" **He asked her, while tilting his head, and keeping his stare in hers.

Elizabeth raised her chin in the air as a confrontational gesture, while rubbing her hands.

"**I know what you are doing, Charles Brownton…And it won't work with me!"** She exclaimed very solemnly, while pointing a finger at him, making him shook his head, before continuing his walk toward the kitchen.

"**I have no idea what you are talking about, my dear Elizabeth…"** He replied to her, before coughing to hide his amusement.

"**You must be the most stubborn man on the planet, right beside Master Elijah!"** She screamed at him, while stomping her feet on the floor.

"**Should I take that as a compliment?"** He asked her, while putting his hand over his mouth to forbid himself to burst into laughter.

"**I won't beg anymore, Charles Browston…I have a certain dignity to keep, if you don't want to talk about the kiss…Because, obviously you are too much of a coward to talk about it, then be like that!"** She said to him, while passing a nervous hand on her hair bun. **"Have a nice day!"** She added to him, while turning her back at him and walking toward the entrance of the Manor, leaving a dumfounded Charles in front of the kitchen door.

* * *

><p>Katherine took a bunch of her own clothes from their walk-In and the big chest of drawers, while putting them over her arms, before crossing in a rapid walking pace the upstairs corridor, from Elijah's bedroom to a front guest bedroom, while dropping on the floor a bunch of panties, in the process. She was mad as hell! And when Katerina Petrova was mad…You would never know what could result of it!<p>

Elijah climbed up the stairs rapidly, while taking walking steps toward his bedroom, before suddenly holding his pace and standing immobile for a short moment, before lowering his head to look at the floor, bending his upper body to pick up black lace panties in his hands…What was happening? He thought to himself, while seeing Katherine crossed the corridor from _THEIR_ bedroom to a guest bedroom one.

He followed her in the guest bedroom, while putting both of his hands on each side of the door frame.

"**What are you doing?"** He asked her, while raising his hand to show her the panties.

Katherine turned her face, before staring angrily at him, before walking rapidly toward his standing position, grabbing the piece of lace lingerie from his hand, and throwing it on the guest bed, in top of the other clothes, while raising her chin in the air, passing silently beside him, and going back in his bedroom, while crossing the corridor once again.

"**Katerina Petrova! I asked you a question!"** He screamed, while following her every step, before receiving the bedroom door in his face. **"Rrrr…."** He growled in his teeth, while closing his eyes and fists in anger, before turning the door handle, and walking rapidly toward _THEIR_ walk-in. **"What are you doing?" **He asked her for the second time.

"**I'm taking all my stuff out of your bedroom…."** She replied to him, while passing beside him, with a bunch of clothes on her arms, directing her steps in the same path than the one she had took previously.

"**Why?"** He screamed at her, while seeing her leave the bedroom once again, waiting with his arms crossed for her to come back….3….2…1…And she was back again! She was grabbing shoes in her hands now. **"KATERINA…I asked you a question, and when I asked a question, I demand to be answered!"**

She turned to face him, while taking a few steps to reach his standing position, locking her stare in his.

"**Oh…You demand! The King of this castle demands to be answered…Well, go to hell, Elijah!"** She lashed out at him, while turning on herself and walking out of the walk-in. **"This was the last of my things...I'll sleep in the guest room from now on!" **She added to him, before slamming his bedroom door close, opening the guest bedroom, before slamming it once more.

A dead silence filled the upstairs corridor for a few minutes, before being filled by the noise of Elijah's bedroom door being slammed open. He walked toward the guest room, pushed his feet into the door, slamming it open, entering inside, taking in his hands and arms a bunch of her clothes that was lying on the bed. All of this, in front of an open mouth – speechless Katherine, while going back to _THEIR_ bedroom, and dropping it on _THEIR_ bed.

Katherine growled, while closing her fists in anger, before walking toward Elijah's bedroom, and standing in his entrance.

"**What do you think you're doing?"** She exclaimed, while placing her hands on each side of her waist.

"**I paid for that stuff…Therefore, it's mine!"** He lashed out at her, while getting out of his bedroom again, to go back to the guest room.

"**Oh…."** Katherine exclaimed in anger, while following him.

"**Ya…That's it, **_**woman**_**…You should learn your lesson now!"** Elijah replied angrily to her, while taking another load of clothes in his arms, before taking it back in his bedroom.

"**Bastard…."** Katherine exclaimed, while pointing a finger at him, without following him this time. **"…I don't give a damn about the clothes! I'll be naked if I have to!"** She screamed into the corridor, before seeing him walked back toward her with a threatening glance in his eyes. **"…Now, now, Elijah…Let's talk about this!"** She mumbled to him, while putting a hand in front of her to try to calm him down and retain his actions, taking a few steps backward, before reaching the wall behind her.

He grabbed her by the arms, before throwing her across his left shoulders, with a hand on her bottom to keep her immobile.

"**Put me down now, Elijah!"** She screamed at him, while punching his back with her closed fists, before seeing him carrying her out of the guest bedroom, back into his.

He closed the door with his feet, before reaching the bed, and dropping her in the middle of the clothes, on the bedspread, like a bag of potatoes!

"**Oh!"** She mumbled angrily to him, before straightening herself in a sitting position. **"…I hate you!"**

"**Good!"** He replied to her, while nodding his head and putting his hands on each side of his waist, before ordering her. **"Now, give back the clothes that you are wearing!"** He ordered her, making Katherine sigh in shock, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**No!" ** She responded to him, while raising her chin in the air.

"**Now is this an invitation for me to take them from you beautiful body?"** He asked her, while bending his body over hers, placing his hands on the bedspread, on each side of her sitting position, making her startle in surprise.

"**You wouldn't dare!"** She said to him, while locking her eyes with his.

"**Oh, I would, Katerina…"** He responded to her, while staring back into her eyes, in a confrontation of power between the two, before lowering his head and crashing his mouth on hers, making her respond to his passionate kiss in a matter of seconds, pushing her on the bed to lay himself in top of her.

"**Mm…."** She whispered in ecstasy to him, while closing her eyes, and feeling his lips devouring every inch of her neck skin. "…**You have no idea how much you get on my last nerves and under my skin!"** She murmured to him, while sliding her hands under his long sleeves t-shirts, before caressing his muscular back, scratching his skin with her nails.

"**Same here…"** He responded to her, while frantically opening the buttons of her blouse, before sliding the fabric open, lowering his head to capture the iridescent nipple of her breast through the lace of her bra.

"**Oh, Elijah…"** She murmured to him, while sliding her hands in his hair, pushing his head nearer her chest, before closing her eyes.

He raised his head to look at her, while seeing Katherine slowly open her eyes to stare at him, before crashing his lips back on hers, sliding his hand under her skirt, raising his fingers slowly in the inside of her thighs, in expert caresses, feeling her squirm of anticipation under his touch, before so slowly sliding his hand between her legs, rubbing very gently her feminine center, while feeling the intensity of her desire for him.

"**Oh, please Elijah…Stop teasing me!"** She whispered to him, while helping him pass his t-shirt above his head, before sliding her hands on his muscular abs.

"**Your wish is my command, my love…"** He mockingly answered her, before ripping her skirt from top to bottom, making her startle with surprise, before giggling nervoulsy.

"**That's the part of the Viking man that I love…"** She whispered, while smiling at him and feeling his hands pushing her panties on her legs, helping him open his leather belt, pushing down his jeans, before feeling his hard length sliding in her moister walls in a rapid and deep push, she bended her back, while raising her pelvis to have a better contact with his, helping them reach their peak of desire.

* * *

><p>"<strong>That's new?"<strong> Elijah asked her, while taking a dress that was lying on the bed in his hands.

"**No…."** She mumbled to him, while putting her head on her crossed arms, while feeling his right hand caressing her naked back.

"**What was this all outburst about?"** He asked her more seriously, while putting the dress back on the bed and making her swallow a small lump in her throat.

"**I need to help you find Theodore, Elijah…Please, I can't stay locked in here! I need to do something!"** She begged him.

"**No…"** He replied to her, while jumping out of the bed, reaching for his jeans, and dressing himself.

"**Why?"** She asked him, while straightening her body.

"**Because…"** He answered her, while gesturing with his arms. **"…You always put yourself in the worst danger possible, and I don't want any collateral damage this time!" **he added while passing his t-shirt above his head. **"…Now, you stay put in here, and you listen to me! Am I clear, Katerina?"** He asked her, while pointing a finger to her.

She pouted, while crossing her arms around her knees, and shrugging her shoulders.

"**Good!"** He said to her. **"I have another lead, I will check it out!"** He added to her, before directing his walking steps toward the bedroom door. **"…Put back your clothes in the walk-in, please!"** He ordered her, before leaving the bedroom.

"**Damn you!"** She mumbled angrily in her teeth, after he had left, before hearing her cell phone rang, startling in surprise while seeing the caller I.D.: _Elise_! She closed her eyes, for a short moment, before re-opening them, and raising the cell phone near her right ear.

"**So, is he holding you on a leash…Like the good whore that you are to him?"** Elise asked her.

"**What do you want?"** Katherine asked her, while keeping a neutral tone of voice.

"**Well…Isn't more: What do you want, Katherine? And we both know that you want the child…So, if I was you I would listen very carefully to my instructions, if you want to see him alive!"** Elise added to her, in a devious tone of voice.

"**I'm listening…"** Katherine responded to her.

* * *

><p>Elijah rushed inside his Manor, while closing the front entrance door, leaving the strong winter winds behind him, taking rapid walking steps toward the parlour room, while seeing Charles standing beside Elizabeth, with his arms crossed over his chest.<p>

"**What happened?"** Elijah asked, while storming inside the room.

"**She compelled Elizabeth…" **Charles responded to Elijah, while shaking his head, and putting his hands on each side of his waist.

"**Damn her!"** Elijah lashed out, before throwing his winter coat on an arm chair. **"Are you Ok?"** He asked Elizabeth.

"**Of course, I'm ok, Master Elijah…It's Miss Katherine that we're talking about, not a thug, she would not hurt me intentionally…She only needed me to be out of her way…"** She explained to Elijah, before adding. **"…I'm fine! I can assure you of this!"**

"**What happened?"** He asked her, while pacing back and forth in front of them.

"**It's my fault!" **Charles mumbled angrily in his teeth**. "I left for five minutes to take care of the horses in the stable, in preparation of the upcoming storm, while being accompanied by Gardie…And, the little devil took that time to make her move!"** He exclaimed, while closing his fists in anger.

"**I saw her getting down the stairs, Master Elijah…She was dressed with her winter coat…And she startled when she saw me in front of her…I asked her where she was going…And then, the last thing I remember is Mister Charles bending his head over me to ask if I was alright?"** Elizabeth explained more to him.

"**Damn, damn, damn…Why does she always have to act without thinking for a second?"** Elijah lashed out, while closing his fists in anger. **"She must have received some kind of message from Elise!" **

"**Son, being mad about it, will not bring her back here quicker…" **Charles told Elijah, while tilting his head.

"**She is so afraid for this orphan, Master Elijah…She probably thought that she could handle that disturbed woman all by herself."** Elizabeth said to him, while rubbing her hands nervously together.

"**Trust me, Elizabeth…When I say that Elise is everything but easy to handle!"** Elijah exclaimed while storming out of the room, leaving a dumfounded Charles and Elizabeth behind him.

* * *

><p>Sister Marie Rose entered her office, before startling in surprise, while finding Elijah standing in front of the stain glass window, with both of his hands in his pants pockets. He heard the door opened, and turned to face her.<p>

"**Master Elijah…"** She exclaimed, while closing the door behind her. **"…It is always a pleasure to see you in the orphanage, my child…What bring you here, in this awful storm day?"** She added to him, while taking his hands in hers.

"**Sister Marie Rose, like wise…."** He answered her, while pressing gently on her hands.

"**Do you have any news about Miss Katherine and Theodore's whereabouts?"** She asked him, while directing her walking steps toward her desk, before taking a sitting position behind it. **"Rest assure that I've prayed often for their safe return."**

"**No…That is the reason of this second visits to see you, Sister."** He explained, while narrowing his eyes at her, and watching Sister Marie Rose suddenly getting very nervous.

"**Well, I'm sure that you will find where young Theodore is eventually, you're a man of power and intelligence, Master Elijah…"** She mumbled very rapidly to him.

"**Mm…Perhaps…"** He replied to her, before adding. **"…But, hearing it from your own voice, Sister would be quicker and rapider for me!"** He added to her, while seeing her blushed at his saying.

"**I…I don't think I could be of much help than what I already told you at your return from England, and our last phone conversation 24 hours ago…Master Elijah…"** She replied to him, while nervously rubbing her hands together, and placing some papers on her desktop.

"**And then again, Sister Marie Rose, I can feel your heartbeats rising dangerously in a matter of seconds, since I mentioned it to you!"** He replied to her, while rubbing maliciously the palms of his hands.

Sister Marie Rose raised her sight to look at Elijah, before sighing and shaking her head.

"**I am just trying to keep the children safe…"** She confessed to him.

"**And it is honourable of you…But at the expense of the life of a young child?"** Elijah asked her, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**She treated to do serious damage to the orphanage and the orphans, Master Elijah…I just need to keep quiet for her to not act on it!"** Sister Marie Rose informed him.

"**I can protect the children…"** Elijah replied to her.

"**But you are not the magician of Oz, with all respect; my child…Miss Elise is a powerful witch!"** Sister Marie Rose answered him.

"**No, I'm not…But I have resources and money at my disposition…How much would you need to relocate this orphanage, and put the children in a safe place for the time being?"** Elijah asked her, while sliding his hand in his blazer vest, to pick his check book, making Sister Marie Rose rub her hands, and sighing.

"**Put you check book away, Master Elijah…"** She asked him to do, with a hand gesture, before adding. **"…I've already sin enough in front of God's eyes!"**

"**Where are they, Sister?"** Elijah asked of her.

"**I'm so sorry…I kept quiet because she asked me to, and because I was afraid for the safety of the other orphans…I don't know the exact location, but she mentioned an old abandoned castle near the forest…It is the only thing that I know to this point."** She truthfully confessed to Elijah.

"**You've been of extreme help, Sister…And I won't keep a grudge against you for trying to protect the children!" **Elijah said to her, while nodding his head to her, before directing his steps toward the exit of the office, putting his hand on the door handle, before turning on himself and saying. **"I'll put men in the Orphanage for the security of the children!"** He added to her, before opening the door, holding his gesture, before asking more. **"Is there a way for me to keep the child safe in the Manor after rescuing him?"**

"**It was the wish of Eleone Greenwich to have him safe in the orphanage, but…I don't see any reason for you to not have him, if you would make an honourable man of yourself, and take wife very soon…"** She answered, before smirking at him, and raising one of her eyebrows.

"**Your predictions at my summer banquet…"** Elijah responded, while shaking his head and smirking back at her.

"**I don't remember saying such a thing…"** She replied, while winking at him.

He nodded to her, while blushing and passing the door frame.

"**Master Elijah?"** She called him for a last time, before seeing him turn. **"…Be safe my child and God be with you!"**

* * *

><p>Elise tightened her shawl around her shoulders, before taking a bottle of whisky from the top of a console table, pouring herself a glass, taking it in her hands, and directing her walk toward the window, while shivering of cold. This old Castle was hiding leaks of winds everywhere. She pushed the lace curtains on the side to look at the snow storm that was intensifying in front of her eyes, while smirking with pleasure…Exactly the kind of temperature that she was hoping for!<p>

She heard a knock on the door, before seeing two men entering inside the room where she was standing in.

"**She's been thrown with the devil child, in a cavern in the mountain near the forest…Far from any roads, houses, villages or any kind of civilization; with this snow storm, she won't be able to survive very long, especially with the child!"** Two of Klaus vampire men said to Elise.

"**Perfect!"** Elise replied to him, while smiling deviously, and gesturing with her hands to tell them to leave the room, to which they primarily salute in front of her, before turning and taking a few steps toward the exit of the room, seeing the door being slammed open in front of their eyes, before seeing Elijah entering inside.

Elise turned, before startling with fear, and putting a hand on her chest.

"**Elijah!"** She exclaimed with surprise.

"**Elise…"** He replied to her, while raising an angry stare at her. **"…It's been quite a long time!" **He added to her, before turning his glare to look at both of the vampire men standing in front of him. **"Gentlemen…."** He saluted them, before viciously entering both of his closed fists in their abdomens, making them bend their bodies in deep pain, while feeling their hearts being pulled out of their chests in a matter of seconds, their lifeless corpses hitting the floor. **"It has been way too long since the last time I did that!"** He exclaimed to her, while taking a handkerchief from the inside of his jacket, before cleaning the blood on his hands. **"So, my dear, now that this is out of the way…How do you want to play it? The hard way with me killing you /or/ the nicer way, with you telling me where are **_**Katerina**_** and the young child, and killing you afterward, all the same…Your wish…Except, I may go gentler on you with the second option!" **

"**Neither!" **She screamed at him, whiletaking a few steps backward from his standing position**, **reaching for a small box that was placed on a near desk, sliding it in her right hand, running toward the exit of the room, before being intercepted by a firm grip on her left arm. She screamed, and raised her right hand, before throwing a green power in front of Elijah's eyes, making him releasing his grip, while screaming of pain, and putting his hands over his eyes.

She exited the room, before running toward a narrow corridor, reaching a study room, entering inside, before locking the door behind her, and reaching for a _Grimoire_ book on a top shelf, she started reciting a sorcery spell in Latin.

Elijah straightened his body, while passing a hand on his sensitive eyes, before blinking them several times, and stumbling outside the room, while leaning his body on the walls…Seeing in a blur in front of him a vampire man that was running in his direction. He raised his hand, before rapidly sliding its side in a deadly angle on the left side of the jugular vein of his victim, snatching the head from the body in a matter of seconds, before rushing toward the corridor that he could hear and felt the rising heartbeats where Elise was hiding.

He finally slammed the door open, while entering inside the study room, and with his vampire speed, pushed Elise on the wall behind them, with a hand on her throat making her choke over her own breath.

"**I wouldn't do that if I was you, Elijah…"** She mumbled, while squirming underneath him.

"**Oh ya…Well it's the only thing that I want to do at the present moment!"** He responded angrily to her, while pushing his hand even harder on her throat.

"**If you kill me, you'll regret it, mark my word on this!"** She replied to him, while catching her breath.

"**I don't give a damn about your miserable life, Elise…Your mother would be ashamed of you!"** He lashed out at her face, while shocking her last breath in her.

"**I'm…I'm linked to him…"** She whispered in a lost breath, making him release his hands on her throat.

"**What did you say?"** He ordered her to tall him, while releasing completely his grip on her throat, while seeing her bend her body and coughing air back into her lungs.

"**You think I'm stupid? Elijah…"** She lashed out, while raising her head to look at him. **"I've been your mistress for years, before you put that whore in your bed! I know how you think…I know that if I was not finding a way out of this, you would make the truth came out of my mouth and kill me without even hesitating, and this right after my confession!"** She continued, before adding. **"So, I did a spell, and I linked myself with this devil child! If you kill me, you kill him!"** She screamed at his face.

"**I don't believe you!"** He screamed, while shaking his head in negation, pacing back and forth in front of her.

"**Are you willing to take the chance, Elijah?"** She asked deviously to him.

Elijah glared angrily at her, before reaching her standing position, and slapping her across the face, making her loose her balance and fell on the floor.

"**Where are they?"** He screamed at her.

She put a hand on her cheek, while feeling the pain hitting her jaw, raising herself on a sitting position, with the help of her other arm.

"**She left you…She took the child and left you! She said something about leaving for Europe; far away from your pathetic life at the Manor…You thought that she would stay with you forever, Elijah? What a fool you are!" **Elise busted, in anger, to him.

"**I don't believe you!"** Elijah lashed out, while loosing all his colors in his face.

"**Then take the chance!"** She screamed back at him.

"**Damn you, Elise…What did you become?" **He asked her, while passing a quick nervous hand on his hair.

"**I had to survive, especially when you decided to toss me on the side of your life, Elijah!"** Elise shouted at me.

"**This has nothing to do with us, Elise…"** Elijah replied, while pointing a finger at her. **"…It has everything to do with your incurable taste for power!"**

"**Coming from you, it's a joke, Elijah!"** She lashed out at him.

"**Tell me where they are?"** He ordered her, one more time, before feeling the presence of another vampire behind him, turning on himself, and in his vampire speed, pushing the man on the wall, while holding his head immobile with his upper arm on his throat. **"You have three seconds to tell me where the woman and the child are?"** He ordered the man to tell him.

"**No!"** Elise screamed behind them, before adding. "**He'll kill you either way!"**

Elijah entered his hand profoundly in the man's chest, while holding his heart.

"**2 second…" **Elijah added to the man, while seeing him squirm ofpain. **"1 second…"**

"**They…" **The man tried to say, before continuing.** "They are in a cavern, near the mountain and the forest…" **

"**Thank you…" **Elijah said to the vampire man.** "…You've been of an extreme help!" **He added before ripping his heart out of his chest.

"**And you call yourself a man of honour and integrity, Elijah!" **Elise shouted at him, while rising on her legs, pressing her back against the wall.

"**I am a man of honour, Elise…Only for those who deserves it from me!"** He responded to her, before storming out of the Castle, leaving the vain woman behind him for the time being, more urgent manners needed his attention.

Fifteen minutes later, Elise was leaving the old English Castle on the back of a horse, under the snow storm, in direction of the forest.

* * *

><p>It had been more than twenty four hours since Katherine had been called missing, and every minute was now more important than the last to find her and the child alive.<p>

Elijah walked in the heavy amount of snow toward his stables, tracing a path with his high winter boots, battling his way through this late storm in season that was covering with a white blanket the land of England, putting his hand as a visor in front of his eyes, while keeping the hood of his winter jacket on his head, holding each side with his hands gloves. The only way to go through the forest and land was on the back of a horse…And it was not a snow storm that would forbid him to find Katherine and the child!

He finally reached the stables, only to see through the heavy veil of snowflakes, about twenty men gathered in front of him, with their own respective horses at hands. Charles brought Rosemary to Elijah, while pulling on the loop of the horse, before handing it to him.

"**They all came from the village after hearing the news about a lost orphan child and young woman lost in the snow storm; to give you a hand to find them…I'd decided to come also!"** Charles explained to Elijah, while screaming his words through the heavy winter storm.

Elijah swallowed a lump in his throat, filled with emotions to see these villagers here to help him find them, before turning his head toward the group, and nodding his head.

"**Thank you to all…"** He screamed to them, before turning his head toward Elizabeth that was shivering while standing behind Charles. **"Elizabeth, go back in the Manor, you're going to catch death!"** He said to her, while getting on his horse.

"**In a minute, Master Elijah…" **She nodded to him, while pulling her winter scarf over her mouth, before adding. **"…Please be safe, and bring Miss Katherine and this young baby orphan back in the Manor!"** She screamed at him, to which he nodded his head to her, before seeing her take a few steps toward Charles**. "I prepared you a thermos of hot coffee."** She said to him, to which Charles nodded his head in negation, while closing more strongly the straps of his horse. **"Charles Brownston, I said: **_take it_**!"** She repeated to him, with an anger tone in her voice, before seeing him take the thermos and putting it in his saddle bag.

"**Thank you!"** He whispered to Elizabeth, before grabbing her shoulders, and lowering his sight in hers. **"Now, you should go back to the Manor, near the fire!" **He gently ordered her to do, while closing her scarf tighter around her face, before seeing Elizabeth nod her head to him.

"**Be careful…"** She whispered to him, while raising her gloved hand to caress his left cheek, before seeing Charles mount his own horse, and nodding his head to Elijah.

Elijah turned his horse to face the men mounted on their own horses, in front of him.

"**Will separate in groups of five, each group toward the land and forest, in direction of the four cardinal points, South – North – East –West…Be careful, and lets try to find them alive!"** He shouted to the group of men, before hitting the flanks of his horse, and galloping toward the land, with the group of riders behind him.

Elizabeth watched the horses gallop off to the open land, while signing a cross in front of her chest, before feeling the warm feeling of blanket on her shoulders. Gardy had put it on her shoulders to warm her up.

"**You need to go inside; Mrs Elizabeth or you will catch pneumonia…"** He murmured to Elizabeth, while pulling his winter cap on his ears.

"**Yes…"** She murmured back to him, while nodding her head, but not moving a muscle.

Gardie put his right arm around her shoulders while lowering his head near hers.

"**We could do a group prayer with the maids?"** He suggested to her, while squeezing her shoulders to warm her up.

"**Yes, we'll do that…"** She nodded to him, before following his path in the show, toward the Manor.

* * *

><p>Katherine was finally able to pass her wrists out of the circles of metal from the chain that was holding her prisoner to the mountain walls of the cavern. Her chair was deeply notched…A trickle of blood was now running down her forearm. But she had no time to think about her injuries, her main priority was to get rid of the remaining chains at her ankles, and to go pick in her arms the small buddle of joy wrapped in a blanket, that was placed on the ground, with Theodore rolled in its inside.<p>

He had cried for hours, since they had been brought to this unfortunate prison. The temperature had drop a lot since their arrival, and a tick layer of snow was covering the entrance of the cave.

She finally got rid of her metal cuffs placed on her ankles, before rushing on the ground, reaching to pick in her arms the small child's body, while closing her eyes, hugging it tightly on her chest, passing a quick hand on his back to make him warm.

"**Shhh…It's ok, I'm here…Don't cry Theodore…It's going to be ok!"** Katherine said to him, while whispering near the child's ears to calm him down, but without able to succeed.

They have been prisoner of this cavern since hours now, and he must have been hungry since their arrival, explaining his none stop whining.

"**I'm going to put you down again…"** She whispered to him, while bending her upper body, and dropping him gently on the ground. **"…I'm going to see where we are, and if I can find woods to make a fire!"** She added to him, while caressing his feverish little head.

She took a few walking steps toward the exit of the cavern, before raising her winter coat collar, and taking a few walking steps in the snow, toward the unknown location.

She looked around to see where they were located, and for what she could see, they were in the middle of the forest, beside a small mountain. She took unsteady walk in the snow, while trying to find some wood, but the veil of snow was almost making it impossible to see at a meter of distance.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Katerina…"<strong> Elijha screamed, again and again, directing his horse, through the heavy snow, while caressing its neck to give her courage. **"…Come one, Rosemary, you can do this!"** He whispered near his horse ears, while pushing the blanket placed under his saddle, to cover her back even more, he suddenly turned his head to the right while hearing the sound of a horse galloping toward them, before seeing Charles at his side.

"**Nothing…"** Charles screamed at Elijah.

"**No…"** Elijah screamed back at him, though the heavy veil of snow. **"I'll go up on the mountain…We never know, maybe they are there…Continue scattering this part of the forest!" **Elijah said to Charles, while pointing a finger to a direction.

"**This is suicidal, Son!" **Charles screamed more at him, while approaching Elijah, and putting his gloved right hand on his forearm, before adding.** "With this snow storm you could risk falling off the cliff!" **

"**It's a risk that I am willing to take, Charles!" **Elijah screamed back at him. **"I need to find her before it is too late!"** He explained to his friend.

"**I know…"** Charles responded to him, before nodding his head. **"…Be careful, Son!"** He added to him, while seeing him directing his horse toward a small path toward the moutain.

* * *

><p>In other circumstances, and if she would have fed the last twenty four hours, Katherine would have used her vampire speed to run into this heavy storm until finding a way out of this forest, but with Theodore in the cavern, she could not risk his health and safety. She tried to find death tree branches; but the snow was so heavy and thick on the ground that none of them could be found. She turned on herself, while coming back toward the cavern, when a voice stopped her on her track.<p>

"**Where's the child?"** She heard Elise asking her.

"**What are you doing here?"** Katherine mumbled to her, completely dumfounded by her presence in the forest and in the middle of the snowstorm.

"**I need the child…Is he in the cavern?"** She angrily asked Katherine while walking toward the entrance of the cavern.

"**You wanted to kill us, bitch…And now, you suddenly want the child back?"** Katherine screamed at her, while approaching her standing position.

Elise raised her palm hand in front of Katherine standing position, while reciting some spell words in Latin, before seeing Katherine covering her head with both of her hands, and bending her body in pain, while experimenting an aneurism. Elise turned on herself, while starting to walk toward the cavern again, before being pushed on the ground by Katherine.

They rolled several times in the snow, before hitting each other with their closed fists, Katherine tried to bite Elise in her jugular vein on the left side of her neck, but she managed to roll away from her, at a near inch of the cliff. Katherine crawled up to her, while jumping directly in top of Elise, before being pushed away, with a kick from her feet in her stomach.

"**Get off of me, whore!"** Katherine heard Elise screamed at her, while shaking her head to regain consciousness. She raised her head to look at Elise, but the lack of blood on her system had made her weak, and her vision was becoming blurred. She finally saw Elise get up on her feet, taking a step backward, none aware of her near proximity over the open cliff. Two seconds later, she was plunging into the emptiness of the cliff, while clinging with her hands on the edge. **"Help…"** Katherine heard her called, but in the matter of seconds, she fell on the ground, in a semi state of unconsciousness, before hearing a voice calling her.

"**Katerina…" **

Elijah reached her, before jumping rapidly off his horse, while walking toward her semi-conscious lying position, kneeling near her body, and taking her in his arms.

"**Katerina…My love…"** He mumbled to her, while sweeping strands of her hair away from her face.

"**Elijah…"** She murmured to him, while trying to open her eyes.

"**It's ok…Don't move…"** He said to her, while tearing the skin of his right wrist open, before putting his bloody wound over her mouth, to make her drink.

Katerina drank avidly, while enjoying the richness and sweetness of his blood filling her veins. She opened her eyes, while nodding her head to him.

"**Elise…"** She mumbled to him, while trying to raise herself in a sitting position.

"**No…Don't move!"** Elijah said to her, while keeping her in his arms.

"**Elise…She's…She's hanging at the edge of the cliff!"** She murmured, making Elijah startled in surprise.

"**Where…"** He asked her, before seeing her raised a finger to show him. **"…Where is Theodore?"** He asked more.

"**In the cavern…"** She whispered to him.

Elijah suddenly raised his head while hearing the sound of steps in the snow, before seeing Charles kneeling beside them.

"**What are you doing here?"** Elijah asked Charles, while raising his head to look at him.

"**I was not about to let you come up here alone, Son!"** He shouted to Elijah, while adding. **"Go! I'll take care of Miss Katherine!"** He added to him, while gesturing with his right hand glove, before seeing Elijah rise on his legs, and walking toward the edge of the cliff.

"**Miss Katherine, what part of: DO NOTHING, you did not understand me asking you?"** He asked her, while hugging her in his arms, making her smile back at him timidly.

Elijah reached the cliff while scattering the edge and not seeing any trace of Elise…She most had fell down to her death. He closed his eyes, while closing his fists in anger, and directing his steps toward the inside of the cavern. How was he supposed to announce to Katherine that the child had been link to Elise with a spell, and that her death meant the death of this young infant? He entered inside, while scattering the interior, and finally seeing a rolled blanket on the floor, he kneeled beside it, getting rid of his gloves, and gently taking in his hands the corpse of the dead baby, before hearing sounds coming from the baby's mouth.

Elijah raised a corner of the blanket before seeing the face of Theodore.

"**Hey, Theodore…"** He exclaimed to him, while smiling with all the joy he was suddenly feeling inside of him. Elise had lied about the link spell, and he could not be happier. **"You're alive…You're alive!"** He added to the young infant, while smiling and laughing at the same time, before hugging him in his arms.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Oh, Look at him…He is so adorable!"<strong> Elizabeth exclaimed, while holding Theodore in her arms, in the middle of the kitchen.

"**He certainly is a brave fighter!"** Charles responded, while smiling and grabbing the little fingers of the young infant.

"**His fever is finally down…." **She informed him, before adding.** "…Thank you, Charles."** She murmured to him, while caressing Theodore's black, curly hair.

"**For what my dear…I don't see any reasons for you to thank me?"** He said to her, while blushing and avoiding looking at Elizabeth in the eyes.

She raised her sight to him, while smiling, and slowly approaching her lips near his, taking him by surprise, while very rapidly sweet kissing his mouth, before locking her eyes in Charle's.

"**For being the wonderful man that you are, Charles Brownston, so considerate, sweet, and carrying…For being always there for Miss Katherine and Master Elijah…For loving them like a daughter and a son!" **Elizabeth confessed to him. **"And for being my friend, and companion the past few weeks…" **She added to him, before lowering her head in shyness, feeling the right hand of Charles taking her chin to raise her head, before lowering his own lips to kiss her back.

She startled in surprise at first, before slowly returning his kisses, the warm of his lips slowly and alternatively switching from her upper to bottom lip, when suddenly the groans of Theodore in Elizabeth's arms, make them detached their lips.

"**Oh, he must be hungry…"** Elizabeth said to Charles, before handing the child to him. **"…Take him for a second, I will see if his bottle his warm enough?"**

"**But…"** Charles mumbled to her, while taking Theodore at arm's length. **"…He is looking at me in a funny way!" **He said to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth raised her sight at them, while putting a hand over her mouth to hold her laughter.

"**Well…It's because you're holding him in a funny way also! Take him in your arms, he won't bite!"** Elizabeth said to Charles, while taking the bottle of milk in her hands, dropping a bit of the liquid on her left wrist, to check the temperature, before looking at Charles and Theodore from the corner of her eyes and smiling.

"**Well…If you insist…"** Charles replied to her, while taking Theodore in his arm, holding him near his chest, with Theodore's head on his shoulder. **"Is this better?"** He asked her.

"**Much better, Charles…"** She replied, while winking at him.

* * *

><p>Katherine slowly opened her eyes, while seeing small rays of light passing threw her eyelashes, from the lamp placed on the bedside table, before smiling and seeing Elijah's face bending over her.<p>

"**Never do these kinds of stunts to me again…I've been scared to death!"** He whispered to her, while sliding his lips on her forehead and kissing it tenderly.

"**Where is…"** She whispered to him, while trying to raise herself in a sitting position, before being pushed back slowly in her lying position.

"**He is fine…Elizabeth and Charles are taking care of him…And the staff have already fell in love with him!"** He explained, while smiling at her, making her smile to him in return, before lying beside her in the bed, taking her in his arms, and slowly caressing her hair.

"**Did you contact Sister Marie Rose?"** She asked him, while sliding her right hand and arm, around his waist.

"**Yes…I told her that we would keep him in the Manor for the night…"** Elijah responded to Katherine, while putting his chin in top of her head, while tightening his embrace around her.

"**What happened?"** She asked him, while raising her head to look into his eyes.

"**Elise had put a spell on Theodore, that was linking her to him….If she was dying, he was dying also."** Elijah explained to Katherine, while caressing her cheeks.

"**Oh God…"** Katherine exclaimed in shock. **"…She is sick!"** She added, with a disdain tone in her voice.

"**She bluffed!"** He said to her, while nodding his head to Katherine. **"…And she is gone…She must have felt from the edge of the cliff to the painful death that she deserved!" **

"**I want to see him, Elijah…" **She murmured to him, while putting her head on his chest.

"**In a minute…"** He whispered near her head, while closing his eyes, and enjoying having her back in his arms.

* * *

><p>Theodore was lying between Elijah and Katherine on the bed. He was giggling, moving his little legs and arms in every direction while trying to catch the fingers of Katherine that was laughing so hard, before suddenly feeling the intense stare of Elijah on her, and noticing his smile.<p>

"**What are you smirking at?"** She asked him, while blushing.

"**You…"** He replied to her, while holding his head in his elevated forearm, into his hand.

"**I don't see what is so funny!"** She responded, while passing her tongue at him.

"**Your motherly ways of taking care of him…I find that sweet!"** He responded to her, making her blush even more, and lower her sight away from him.

"**I'm everything but motherly, Elijah!"** She responded to him, while shrugging her shoulders, while sliding one of her finger into Theodore's while making him giggle even more.

"**Course you're not…"** He said to her, while smirking, and making her rolled her eyes at him.

"**It's just that…I felt a connection the first time that I saw him."** She confessed to Elijah.

"**And he felt a connection with you apparently…"** He added to her say, while caressing Theodore's hair.

"**Probably…"** She responded to Elijah, while tickling his little tummy.

"**Katerina…"** He called her, with a more serious tone in his voice.

"**Mm…"** She responded to him evasively, while playing "Peek a Boo" with Theodore.

"**I know that it was never fully your intention to stay long term in England…I told you that you could leave whenever you wanted if running all your life is what you truly want…But..."** Elijah started saying to her, while coughing and clearing his voice nervously. **"…If, you want to stay….And be a mother to Theodore…There's a way…"** He confessed to her, making Katherine raise her head at him in surprise. **"…And, I don't know…I think that we somehow fit well together, when you're not being too stubborn…What I'm trying to say…Marie Sister Rose told me that you could keep Theodore if you wanted with the only condition to….To give him a stable family, meaning two parents to take care of him….So….Would you marry me, Katerina?"** He asked her, while straightening his body in a sitting position and taking her left hand in his.

Katherine raised her eyes at him, with an open mouth – speechless expression on her face. Was she dreaming? Was this true? Did Elijah Mikaelson just ask her to marry him?

Theodore turned his head from right to left to look at Katerina and Elijah, before letting out a happy sound that sounded like:

"**Ya…"**

* * *

><p>Smirking heavenly at all of you…Te he, (LOL), was it fun or not? Because, seriously, I was giggling none stop at the last scenes…How adorable was that? VERY ADORABLE! The love that I have for this story has no limit.<p>

Now, how many of you think that Elise is truly dead? How many of you believe that the spell was indeed a false manoeuvre of her? (LOL) – Time will tell my dear readers!

I'm taking off in a plane for vacation now (literally true!).

Waiting for your messages…Till the next chapter my dear readers; be happy, and safe!


	18. Put a ring on my finger

**A GENTLEMAN AND HIS MISTRESS** – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**- Lovely Vero - **

**Writer's note****: **Before I receive a bunch of PM's regarding the final chapter of this story. My dear readers: breathe in – breathe out! Everything is going to be ok! (LOL) A sequel named: "_**A gentleman and his wife"**_ is coming your way after this chapter. This present (last chapter) is a "feel good" one that will put the biggest smile on your face, and make you cry also. I am warning you, there are a lot of _squee_ – screaming happy moments in that chapter, and a few Kleenex box moments also; I was feeling quite romantic while writing it. It is the perfect ending and bridge to the next sequel. Will the sequel be as happy? Mm…You know me; I love to bring drama into the mix. (Blink an eye to all of you!) Have fun while reading it.

* * *

><p>Final<p>

Chapter 18

"**Put a ring on my finger."**

* * *

><p>The snowstorm of the last month was already a bad memory left behind. The soft breeze of an early spring was now caressing the plains of England, and the hope of a better future fill with enchantment the spirit of the employees of the Manor.<p>

Hearing about the soon to be nuptial of Master Elijah and Miss Katherine, had lifted not only their spirits, but their joyous mood, as for their spring cleaning tasks of the Manor, this, before the said date, of this soon to be cherished event.

Elijah opened his eyes, while stretching his arms above his head, before turning his sight at his left, where Katherine was sound asleep at his side. The rays of morning sun were entering the bedroom, and the chirping of the birds made him suddenly happy, and with a great morning mood.

He lowered the sheet down on her back, at her waist line, before sliding the tip of his fingers on the softness and silkiness of her skin, in soft, sensual, circular motion. She murmured sound of pleasure and satisfaction in her sleep, while moaning his name. He smiled, before lowering his head near her right shoulder, and sliding his lips on its hollow.

"**Katerina…"** He murmured near her ear, while nibbling on her lobe.

"**Mmm…"** She whispered the sound, while slowly awakening up and opening her eyes.

He raised his lips on the right side of her neck, while encircling her waist with his strong hands, before lowering them on her hips. She was wearing a white nightgown that left so little to his imagination.

"**You said **_Katerina_**, therefore you must be in a good mood."** Katherine replied to him, while raising her eyes on the ceiling.

Elijah raised his head, while lifting one of his eyebrows.

"**Why would you say something like that to me?" **He asked her, in surprise.

"**Isn't it obvious?"** She replied to him, while pushing his hands away from her body, raising the sheet and getting out of the bed, before standing on her two feet. **"When you call me **_Katherine_** that means the **_Master_** is in a terrible mood; therefore I should run for my life screaming, which I never do." **She explained, before putting her right hand on her right hips, while pouting. **"Then, there is the **_Katerina_**, when from time to time; you decide to be somehow nicer to me, which happen not so often, like…Mm…Let say…every full moon." **Sheadded to him, while rolling her eyes, and turning to reach her dressing gown.

Apparently, she wanted to role play this morning, Elijah thought to himself, while smiling. He straightened his upper body, before stretching his arms to grab her right wrist, throwing her on the bed underneath him, while holding her arms above her head.

"**Interesting theories, my sweet **_Kat_**…So what am I now, in a good or bad mood?" **He asked her, with the biggest, seductive smirk, on his face, while drowning his sight in hers, leaving Katherine panting.

Katherine blushed, while raising her chin, and squirming underneath him, to free her movements from his grip.

"**Nothing too scientific about it, **_Master_**…" **She mocked him, openly, before adding.** "You're in the mood for morning sex!"** She responded to him, while raising one of her eyebrows.

"**You don't say?"** He responded to her, before kissing the right side of her neck, while rubbing his hands all over her body.

"**But, I'm not!"** She replied, while pushing him away from her, and rising on her feet.

Elijah looked at her with surprised.

"**What the hell? Since when: Katherine Pierce is not in the mood for sex?"** He asked her, while rising on his feet, wearing only a pair of boxer.

"**Since, you proposed to me, Elijah. I feel uneasy about it!"** She responded to him, while crossing her arms in front of her chest. **"Do you see me as a traditional bride?" **

"**I don't even want to respond to this." **He replied to her, while grabbing his pants on a chair.

"**Exactly, you're avoiding the question of us making a disaster!"** She said to him.

"**Katherine? Do you want the custody of Theodore or not?"** He asked her, before continuing. **"Because, it's the only solution to obtain it, there are none others!"** He busted, in anger, at her.

"**Why are you mad at me? I am just trying to show you that we are not cut out for marriage and you scream at me now!"** She asked him.

"**I'm screaming at you, because you come back on the subject every day!" **He replied to her, while sliding up the zipper of his pants. **"And because I believe that we can make this marriage work."** He added, while staring at her.

"**Ok, then, if you see us as "the traditional / soon to be / married couple", I'll go all the way with the traditions: I'll change bedroom, and we'll abstain from sex till the wedding night!"** She challenged him, while raising her chin in the air.

"**It's in one month!"** Elijah lashed out at her, while gesturing with his arms, in total shock.

"**Well, it's plenty of time to rest your equipment."** She mocked him outrageously.

Elijah grunted and winced, before pointing a finger at her.

"**Try me woman and I swear I will put you on my shoulders and bring you back in my bed in no time, am I clear?"** He warned her, before storming out of the bedroom, while slamming the door.

"**Damn, you have no sense of humour."** Katherine said, while shaking her head, and looking at the closed bedroom door.

* * *

><p>Charles headed toward the parlour room while holding in his hands a schedule list of duty tasks for the following weeks. This list was to be distributed to the maids for the preparation of the upcoming nuptial.<p>

Two of them passed beside him, while giggling and saluting him. Secrets and gossips were filling the silent corridors of the Manor these days. These whispers were about Master Elijah asking Miss Katherine to marry him, and also about the upcoming arrival of Theodore as their adopted baby. There were enough gossips in these walls to fill an entire people magazine!

"**Mister Charles, how are you this morning?"** Elizabeth asked, making him startled with surprise and blushing, while suddenly appearing at his side, before keeping her walking pace beside him.

"**Well, good morning to you, Elizabeth. I'm fine thank you, how are you?"** He responded to her, very politely, while nodding his head.

"**I am in great shape, Mister Charles, thank you for asking so kindly."** She responded to him, while nodding her head to a maid who saluted them. **"I see that you have the schedule for the following weeks in your hands."** She commented more.

"**Indeed, I do have it in my hands, my dear."** Charles responded to her, while feeling more and more awkward about this exchange of polite conversation.

Elizabeth looked around, in search of curious eyes, turning her head from right to left, before suddenly pushing Charles near a wall, before opening a hallway closet, and pushing him inside, while closing the door behind them, leaving them in the complete darkness.

"**Elizabeth! What in the name of God?"** Charles exclaimed to her, before seeing her push the light switch on the wall.

"**Yes, Charles?"** She asked him, while sliding her hands on the sleeveless vest of his butler uniform.

"**This is neither the place nor the time!"** He responded to her, while trying to push her away, but without succeeding.

"**Oh, Charles…You're thinking way too much!" **she replied to him, while raising herself on her tiptoes, before kissing him softly on the lips.

He startled in surprise for a few seconds, before sliding his hands around Elizabeth waist, pulling her in a closer proximity of his chest, while raising one hand in her back and the other in her hair, before opening his lips to her.

Elizabeth moaned sounds of pleasure on top of his lips, before crossing her arms around his neck, and grabbing his hair with her hands, making him groaned of satisfaction.

She giggled; making Charles detach his lips and look at her in surprise.

"**What is it, Lizy?"** Charles asked her.

_Lizy? _Elizabeth questioned in surprise, while hearing him calling her this affectionate nick name, before opening her eyes widely and blushing. Making, Charles Brownston, relax and enjoy himself was a Hercules job, she thought to herself, while smirking back at him. But with a bit of patience and a lot of stubbornness, she could make him loosen a bit.

"**You groaned, Charles." **She said to him, while caressing the back of his neck.

"**I, so, did not, my dear!"** Charles protested to her.

"**Oh, you did."** She replied to him, while kissing him tenderly on the lips.

Charles groaned once again, making Elizabeth burst out of laughter on top of his lips.

"**Are you searching for troubles, young lady?"** Charles asked her, while raising one of his eyebrows, and sliding a hand in her bun, slowly loosen up the clip to let her long blond hair fall on her shoulders. **"This is so unethical on so many levels." **

"**And Charles Brownston is not an unethical man, especially in a hallway closet."** She mocked him.

He smiled and sighed, while sliding both of his hands on her hips, before lowering his head to capture her lips once again.

In a space time of a slip second, they separated apart from each other, while hearing the door open.

"**So, my dear Elizabeth…As I was saying, you need to order…" **Charles started, while blushing and passing a nervous hand through his hair, before looking around, in a hurry, searching what this hallway closet was containing…Oh damn - his luck! ** "…Toilet papers." **He mumbled in his teeth, while turning on himself and facing Miss Katherine. **"Ah, Miss Katherine...I was listing a few of the items that Elizabeth needs to order for the weeding."**

Katherine was standing in front of the open closet door, with her arms crossed in front of her chest, a raised eyebrow, a devious smirk on her lips, while lurking at Elizabeth who was blushing and nervously trying to put back her hair in a bun.

"**Really?"** Katherine said, while smirking even more, and adding. **"Why is the door close behind you, then?"** She asked, why making them even more uncomfortable.

"**Well, Miss Katherine you'll have to excuse-me, as you must know, I have a weeding to plane." **He mumbled in his teeth.

"**I am vaguely aware." **She replied, while rolling her eyes.

"**I'm sure you'll find another way of occupying your time than opening the closet doors of this Manor." **He replied, while getting out of the closet and passing a hand over his butler sleeveless jacket, making Katherine shake her head. **"A very busy morning is waiting for me. Elizabeth, I count on you, my dear, to make the necessary order."** He added, while straightening his upper body and passing in front of Katherine.

"**Charlie poo poo…"** Katherine called him, making him wince, and closing his fists in annoyance.

"**Yes, Miss Katherine?" **He asked her, while holding his walking pace, without turning to face her.

"**Well…I just want to say that the color red is suiting you well…Especially on your cheeks!"** She proudly mocked him, while rubbing her hands together.

Charles sighed several times, while closing his eyes, before counting up to ten and continuing to walk toward the parlour room.

"**Good morning, Miss Katherine."** Elizabeth said, while still blushing and closing her hair clip in her bun, taking a few walking steps beside Katherine in the corridor.

"**Spill…" **Katherine said to Elizabeth, while murmuring in her left ear.

"**Well…I don't know what you are talking about, Miss Katherine?"** Elizabeth replied, while avoiding looking at her in the eyes.

"**Oh come on, Elizabeth: You, Charlie, closed closet door, blushed cheeks…I was not born yesterday you know, how old do you think I am?"** She asked her, before shaking her head, and rolling her eyes. **"…Don't even answer the last question, it's so overrated!"**

"**Miss Katherine…I…I…"** Elizabeth tried to mumble an excuse, without being able to be coherent.

"**It was that good? Little snaky Elizabeth!"** She replied to her, while giving her a nudge.

"**I have to go meet the maids in the parlour room, we have a staff meeting."** Elizabeth excused herself, while nodding her head, before rushing away from Katherine.

* * *

><p>Katherine entered the study room, while closing the door behind her, leaning her back on its wood, and passing the tip of her tongue on the length of her bottom lip while fixating her sight on him. Elijah was sitting at his desk, while looking at files and mails that needed his attention, without even raising his sight on her. She directed her walk toward bookshelves, before taking randomly in her hands one of them, looking at the pages without any real interest, before putting it back on the shelf. She turned on herself, while vibrating her lips, and sighing, before taking a few steps to reach his desk, and sitting seductively on the desktop.<p>

Elijah raised his sight at her, while getting rid of his glasses, lowering his back to his leather desk chair, putting his hands together in front of him, and narrowing his sight at Katherine.

"**What do you want now, Katherine?"** He asked her.

"**Mm…It's** _Katherine_ **now, I must be in big trouble?"** She said to him, while leaning her chest and deep cleavage near him, sliding her hands on his muscular chest.

Elijah grabbed her wrists in a firm grip of his hands.

"**I'm busy, and you're sitting on my papers."** He replied to her.

"**Mm, that is something I did not sit on, yet!"** She mockingly answered him.

Elijah pushed her hands away, before pushing her beautiful behind at the farthest end of his desktop. She raised an eyebrow, before pouting over his reaction, rising on her feet, sitting on his lap, while crossing her arms around his neck.

"**Oh, you got to be kidding me!"** He exclaimed, while stroking his eyes with his right hand.

"**You're still mad at me for this morning?"** She whispered to him, while leaning her body on his chest, her head resting in the hollow of his right shoulder.

Elijah closed his eyes, while counting to ten. She had a way to always bring him back in her net.

"**You basically told me to shove my weeding proposal in my …"** He started saying to her, before being cut.

"**I was feeling nervous about it…"** She replied to him, before adding. **"…Do you see me as marriage material, seriously, Elijah?" **She asked him, in a murmur.

"**Nobody is born as marriage material, Katerina... It's something that you have to work at."** He whispered to her, while raising his hand on her back, before caressing her hair. "**We'll be fine. And, it was the only solution in regard of Theodore's custody."**

"**I could have easily kidnapped him?"** She replied, while seeing Elijah loose his smile in a second. **"Or not…"** She continued, to calm him down, while pouting. **"We're always fighting, Elijah…How can we expect to make something good of this marriage?" **

"**We're not fighting all the time." **He replied to her, while taking her chin in his left hand, raising her head to slowly lowering his lips on hers, before kissing her. **"We have quite a lot of enjoyable moments, don't you think?"** He mockingly asked her, while smirking.

She smiled back at him, before sliding her hands in his hair and her mouth back on his.

"**Now, if you had been obedient this morning, we could have had a great moment together."** He mocked her more, while sliding his lips on the left side of her neck.

"**I'm everything but obedient, Elijah. And you know it."** She replied to him, while closing her eyes to feel the intensity of his caress.

"**Mm…I'll have a life time to make you obedient then?"** He responded.

"**Oh…Listen to this!"** She exclaimed suddenly, while pushing him away from her neck, making Elijah pout with deception. **"Do you know who I found in a closed closet, while making out this morning?"** She asked him.

"**You're such a gossip woman." **He responded, before shaking his head, but while regaining his smile.

"**My Charlie and Elizabeth…"** She informed him, very proudly.

"**Katherine, leave them alone!"** Elijah warned her, while raising his eyebrows.

"**But, how cool is that?"** Katherine exclaimed. **"You do not believe that something is going on between these two?"** She questioned him

"**Perhaps…But, it is not our business, stay out of it, let them be!"** He warned her, while pointing his finger at her.

"**That is how it's going to be, you ordering me around?"** She asked him, while rising on her feet, and standing by his side, with her arms crossed over her chest.

"**Yes, finally you've seen the light."** He responded, while smirking and taking the paper back in his hands.

"**I'm bored…"** She pouted, before adding. **"…I'll go see Theodore at the orphanage, and then I need to find something to do."** She thought to herself, while putting a finger on her lips.

"**Kiss him for me, would you."** He responded to her, before putting his glasses back on his nose, while slapping her behind to push her out of his office.

"**Hey! Watch you manners, Master!"** She screamed; falsely mad at him, while blinking an eye, before opening the door of the study, and seeing Charles passing in the corridor.

"**Oh, Charlie…" **She screamed at him, while running to reach his side.

"**I'm busy, Miss Katherine."** He replied to her, while checking a chores list in his hands.

"**Oh are you in a bad mood today?"** She replied to him, while rolling her eyes, and adding. **"Is it because I interrupted your making out session with Elizabeth this morning?"** She asked him, while making a happy dance beside him.

"**Oh…"** Charles sighed, before stopping his walking pace; staying immobile, while closing his eyes. **"You won't let that go, won't you?"**

"**Well…"** She replied to him, while biting her bottom lips. **"I could, if you would tell me what is going on between you two."** She asked, while grabbing his left arm, sliding her head on his shoulder, before raising a sad puppy look at him.

Charles turned his sight to look at her, before bursting into laughter.

"**Miss Katherine, what am I going to do with you?"** He asked her, before pushing the swinging door of the kitchen.

"**You love me, just admit it."** She responded to him, while following his steps, before taking place on a kitchen stool. **"I'm bored, Charlie."** She mumbled in her teeth, before sighing.

"**Weren't you supposed to visit Theodore at the orphanage?"** He asked her, while crossing his arms.

"**Yes, but it won't take the all day."** She sighed more, while putting her chin in her hands, and pouting. **"Charlie? I think I'm not marriage material."** She confessed to him.

Charles raised his sight on her, while smirking.

"**You don't say, Miss Katherine."** He replied to her, before adding. **"What are your concerns exactly?" **

"**Well…I'm already bored, and…We're always fighting…And, I don't know if I am even mother material? And what if I decide to leave one day?" **She confessed to him.

Charles smiled back at her, before taking a place on a kitchen stool, in front of her.

"**You're bored, because you are experimenting what we call: cold feet, Miss Katherine."** He replied to her, with a smile. **"It's understandable…You've never been in a stable relationship before, or am I mistaken?"** He added to her, before continuing. **"You are always fighting with Master Elijah, because you care about him, and he cares about you…And you are two stubborn individuals, otherwise, you would never give him the time of the day."** He explained, before adding more. **"You've felt a deep connection to Theodore the first time you set you eyes on him, this can't be broken, and you know this in your heart. You are already his mother. As for leaving, if this was the case, you would have done it a long time ago. You've been in the Manor, with us, for almost a year now!" **

"**What?" **Katherine exclaimed in shock.** "It's been already so long?" **

"**And why do you think it's been so long?"** Charles asked her, while rising on his feet, and approaching her sitting position, before murmuring in her ears. **"Could it be that you are marrying the man that you fell in love with, Miss Katherine?" **He asked, while smirking, before walking toward the door and leaving the room, making her blushed at his saying.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Ok girls!" <strong>Katherine screamed in the ballroom, before swinging her behind from left to right in front of several, body length, mirrors, while approaching the stereo and pushing the play button to a tempo dance music.

She was wearing black exercise leggings, on a loose / tied on the stomach, fitted grey t-shirt, with her hair put in a loose bun.

"**This is called Zumba fitness! Let's shake our Bom Bom!"** She screamed at the maids who were standing behind her. They were waiting anxiously for their lunch hour of exercises to start.

Elizabeth was standing under the doorway, the left side of her body leaning on the arch door, with the biggest smile on her face, while watching the girls following Miss Katherine exercise steps.

Charles was passing into the corridor, near the ballroom, when he noticed Elizabeth in the doorway of the ballroom, making him smile heavenly at her sight.

"**How's your day, my dear?"** He asked, while approaching her standing position, before opening his eyes and mouth widely at the sight in front of him. **"Maria, Jesus! What in the name of God?"** He exclaimed in shock.

Elizabeth smirked, while noticing the speechless expression on Charles face. She bended her upper body near his, before whispering near his left ear.

"**This is called Zumba training, Charles…Miss Katherine enrolled the girls to participate at an exercise routine in their lunch hour…I quote her: She needs to loose weight because she just had a baby!" ** Elizabeth explained to him, while giggling.

Charles rolled his eyes to the ceiling, before passing a hand over his face, and shaking his head to have a grip on reality.

"**Marriage won't calm her down as I see!" **He added, before putting his hands on each side of his hips.

"**But she is adorable Charles, and she is giving a fresh breeze of joy in the Manor!"** She responded to him, while smiling.

"**Well, let's just hope that Master Elijah won't see this."** Charles added to her, while shrugging his shoulders.

"**Charles, Elizabeth…" **They heard Elijah saluting them, while opening their eyes widely, and turning their heads to see him walking into the corridor, behind them, while holding a newspaper in his hand, and keeping his sight on the front news page.

"**Master Elijah, good day!" **They both exclaimed, at the same time, while praying for him to pass his way without noticing what was right in front of his nose.

"**Good day to both of you."** Elijah replied to them, before suddenly stopping his walking pace, raising his sight, turning his head toward the open door of the ballroom, before walking back toward them, and standing at their sides under the doorway, while getting rid of his glasses, with a speechless expression on his face. **"What is this? What is going on?"** He demanded, while pointing his finger toward Katherine and the girls.

Charles closed one of his eyes, while wincing, while Elizabeth was covering her mouth to not burst into laughter.

"**Nothing to be concerned about, Master Elijah"** Elizabeth responded to him, before adding. **"It's the lunch hour of the girls actually."**

"**And they're doing what exactly?" **He exclaimed in shock.

"**Well…"** Charles started explaining, while straightening his upper body, and crossing his arms in front of his chest. "**This is called the Zumba, Master Elijah…It's a new method of exercises. Miss Katherine, who was apparently bored, thought that it would be a nice way of entertaining the maids during their lunch hour…Even, more so, and I quote her: She needs to loose weight, because she just had a baby!"** Charles said to him, while putting a hand over his mouth to hide his hilarity.

"**And you find this amusing, aren't you, Charles?"** Elijah asked him, completely dumfounded.

"**Well…Please accept my humble apologies, if I offended you, Master Elijah, but yes, I find this extremely funny!"** Charles replied to him, while smirking and blinking an eye at Elizabeth who was smiling herself.

"**Woo, Woo, Woo….Shake your bottoms, girls!"** Katherine was screaming to her devoted group of participants, while shaking her hips, and looking at herself in the mirrors.

"**Miss Katherine!"** They all heard a man calling, before turning all their heads toward Gardie who had just walk in, by an exterior door, into the ballroom. **"May I join, or is it only for the girls?"** He asked Katherine, while getting rid of his cap, and holding it in his hands.

"**Woo, Gardie…Come! The more the merrier!"** She screamed at him, with the applause of the girls.

"**Well, Miss Katherine, I will Zumba, then!"** He exclaimed to her, while starting to shake his bottom.

"**You got to be kidding me."** Elijah said, while stroking his eyes, and turning on himself, while waving at Elizabeth and Charles. **"I give up!" ** He added, before leaving them bursting into laughter.

* * *

><p>Katherine opened the door of the study room, before closing it behind her.<p>

"**You called me?"** She asked Elijah, who was sitting with his left leg touching the floor, on his desktop.

He raised his sight at her, before smiling and putting down a paper that he was reading.

"**Yes, come…" **He asked, while handing his hand to her.

She reached him, before handing her own, and being pulled into his arms.

"**So, did you have a nice day?"** He asked, while encircling her waist, and smiling at her.

"**I had a very lovely day, Master."** She mocked him, while passing her arms around his neck and sweet kissing his lips. **"I thought that you were a tiny mad at me for the exercises thing?"** She asked him, while closing one eye in fear and anticipation.

"**Only you, woman, would think of something like that!"** He exclaimed, while slapping her bottom with his right hand, and smirking at her.

"**You're not mad?"** She asked him.

"**No, I'm not mad."** He replied, while kissing her lips.

"**Well, that is a first."** She mumbled in top of his lips, before raising her sight and rolling her eyes at him.

"**Behave woman!" **He warned her, while raising one of his eyebrows, before asking. **"Did you see Theodore?"** He asked.

"**Yes." **She responded to him, while nodding her head. **"He almost said the word: **_Banana_** today."** She announced very proudly to Elijah.

"**He did?"** He exclaimed, while feeling extremely proud. **"And, one day, he will say mummy to you." **

Katherine stared into his eyes, before blushing and lowering her head.

"**Please, don't say that."** She mumbled almost incoherently, while shaking her head.

Elijah grabbed her chin in his right hand, before raising her head.

"**Katherine, look at me."** He asked her to do, before adding. **"You're going to be a wonderful mother to him."**

Katherine stared at him for a little while, with tears in her eyes, before nodding her head in approval.

"**Good girl."** He whispered to her, before kissing slowly, and tenderly, her forehead. **"I have something for you."** He added, before grabbing a small blue box on his desktop. **"It's for you."** He said, while staring into her eyes.

"**For me?"** She said, while taking the box in her shaking hands, before opening the velvet box, and sighing at the view of a yellow diamond ring.

"**It's an engagement ring."** He explained to her, while taking the ring from the box, and sliding it to her finger. **"You don't like it?" **He said surprised, while seeing her speechless in front of him.

"**No, it's not that, it's just so beautiful."** She replied to him, while nodding her head, and feeling the tears reaching her eyes.

"**I choose the color yellow for the diamond because…Because you are the diamond who's shinning his light inside the walls of this Manor, Katerina….And…You made me a different man."** He murmured to her, while caressing her cheeks.

Before she could answer him, they turned their head toward the door, while hearing a knock.

"**Come in."** Elijah screamed, before seeing Charles and Elizabeth enter the study room. **"I told them to come now, is it a problem?"** He whispered to Katherine, to which she gestured no to him, by shaking her head.

"**Master Elijah, you asked to see us?"** Elizabeth said, while smiling, with Charles closing the door behind them.

"**Yes, Elizabeth…Actually, "We" wanted to talk to you."** Elijah said to them, while crossing his arms on his chest.

"**Is there something wrong with the weeding?"** Charles asked them, while raising his eyebrows.

"**No, on the contrary…"** Elijah replied, while lowering his head in shyness, before raising his sight to look at Elizabeth. **"Elizabeth, would you stand as my best man, at the altar?"** He solemnly asked her.

"**What?"** Elizabeth exclaimed in surprise, while turning her head to look at Charles, before putting a hand on her chest. **"But, I … I would be so flattered, Master Elijah…But, Charles…"** She said dumfounded, before seeing Elijah shaking his head in negation to her. Then, she understood by instinct the reason, smiled back at him, and nodded her head. **"Oh, I understand, Master Elijah."** She added with a smile.

"**It's ok." **Charles said to Elijah, while swallowing a lump in his throat, and nodding his head. **"I think you made an excellent choice, son, by choosing Elizabeth as your best man." **

"**It's not what you think, Charles…" **Katherine said to him, while rubbing her hands nervously together, and taking a few steps to reach his standing position.** "Actually…Elijah wanted to ask you, but…" **She continued, while feeling tears filling her eyes.** "…Somebody else needs you at that weeding." **

"**I don't understand?" **Charles responded, while shaking his head in surprise, before crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**You're not going to make this easy for me, aren't you, Charlie?" **Shesaid to him.

"**I don't quite follow, Miss Katherine."** He responded to her, while being sincerely lost in all of this matter.

Katherine raised her sight in his, while swallowing a lump in her throat, before saying.

"**Would you…"** She started, before coughing. **"…Would you bring me to the altar, like my father would have done, if he was still alive? Please…Charles?"** She asked him, while feeling tears running fluently on her cheeks.

"**Oh..." **He mumbled the simple word sound, while staring into her eyes, and feeling tears filling his own.

"**Oh?" **Katherine repeated, while lowering her head, and adding. "**I understand, if you can't do it…I was a pain in the ass for…"** She started explaining, before being pulled and hugged in Charles arms.

She closed her eyes, while hugging him back.

"**Thank you…" **She whispered to him.

"**I'll bring you to the altar, Katherine, like I would bring my own daughter, if I had one."** He murmured to her, while closing his eyes, and kissing her forehead. **"Don't you know by now, that I consider you, like mine?" **

Elizabeth turned her sight to Elijah, who was obviously touched by the scene, before looking through the window, while taking a handkerchief in her uniform front pocket and wiping away her tears, before turning on herself, and saying:

"**I suggest, with Master Elijah permission, that we all go to the kitchen to open a bottle of the finest champagne."** She said to all.

"**It's a good idea, Elizabeth."** Elijah replied, while nodding his head, and rising on his feet, from his sitting position on the desktop.

Charles gently pushed Katherine away from his embrace, while caressing her cheeks, and straightening his upper body.

"**I'll go to the cellar find the best bottle."** He said, while nodding his head, and directing his steps toward the door.

"**I'll follow you."** Elizabeth replied, on his footsteps.

"**Are you coming?"** Elijah asked Katherine, while taking her right hand in his.

"**In a minute…" **She responded, while smiling at him.

"**Ok, take your time."** He whispered, before kissing her cheek and following Charles and Elizabeth.

Katherine took a few walking steps to reach the window, before raising her hand toward the rays of the sunset, that were passing though the glass, seeing the yellow diamond shine in front of her eyes, before remembering:

"_I choose the color yellow for the diamond because…Because you are the diamond who's shinning his light inside the walls of this Manor, Katerina….And…You made me a different man."_

"**I love you, Elijah…"** She murmured to herself, before closing her eyes.

* * *

><p>My dear readers, to all of you: Thank you, thank you, thank you for your love and dedication to: "<em><strong>A gentleman and his mistress"<strong>_.

Thank you for your reviews, alerts, wonderful PM's, you're simply the best!

Hope to see you all in the sequel part (_**A gentleman and his wife**_) of this story?

I'll send a message on this story, as an update, to tell you when the sequel will be up with its first chapter. You'll soon be all invited to a special wedding.

Till then, keep safe.

Lovely Vero.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello my dear readers**,

The sequel: "A gentleman and his wife" is up!

You can find that sequel on my profile page.

**Enjoy! **

**Lovely Vero. **


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